


Impossible

by Niji_Hitomi_Iscariot, Silver_Eternity



Category: One Piece
Genre: Character Death, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Hidden Villain, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Kidnapping, Mpreg, Multi, Pregnancy, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-15
Updated: 2015-04-15
Packaged: 2018-03-21 20:32:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 28
Words: 84,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3704165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niji_Hitomi_Iscariot/pseuds/Niji_Hitomi_Iscariot, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_Eternity/pseuds/Silver_Eternity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a well-known fact that Devil Fruits render their users sterile. This makes direct descendants of Devil Fruit users impossible, but when Nami, Queen of the Pirates, conceives, Luffy isn't the only one that questions her. And with Chopper, the only doctor in the world known to cure the impossible, out of touch, the dissension among the Strawhats provides the perfect opportunity for an old enemy to strike at the new World Government.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Luffy Knows! Escape from Raftel!

**Author's Note:**

> Fic 1 of 2 for the OP Big Bang on Tumblr. [Cover/collab art](http://mah-blackberreh.tumblr.com/post/116534129109/the-first-of-my-big-bang-pics-for) done by the amazing [Jenna](http://mah-blackberreh.tumblr.com). The only thing I can tell you, minna, is the fic lives up to its name. XD Enjoy~!

How had it come to this? Her shoulders hitched, hands covering her face, wet strings of hair trapped between her fingers as sobs wracked her body. Around her, pieces of the splintered cartographer’s desk lay forlorn like the scattered fragments of her hopes and dreams. His last words before flinging himself from the building like a cannonball still echoed around the room, pounding with the beat of her heart.

“All you ever do is think about yourself!”

She climbed to her feet, a familiar numbness creeping into her bones. Her mind fell blank but somehow she made herself leave the house. Before it clarified again, she was racing down the path that connected her home to the rest of the town. Rain poured down from broken skies that seemed to mimic her pain, as though the weather was affected by her emotions. She pounded through the puddles, splashing past curious faces and the occasional inquiry of concern. The bangles on her wrists, and the necklace he’d given her, bounced with her pace, though hidden beneath a cloak that had been a wedding gift from Genzo.

The harbor was just down the road and around the corner.

If she was lucky she could stowaway on a ship. Infiltration had always been one of her specialties after all; so even if it was a Marine vessel, she was certain she could make it to the Red Line before needing to find a new place to hide.

Maybe she could even get all the way to the All-Blue before it got too big.

Sliding to a stop at the edge of the road to the dock, her hand fell to the gentle rounding in her midsection that wasn’t quite big enough for most of the world to notice. Tears began anew, and she shook her head. If he didn’t want her gift, she wasn’t about to let him dictate how she cared about it. It was her choice, and she had taken the steps she needed to in order to set it up.

She turned to look over her shoulder, brown eyes wide and reddened from crying. After all this time… how could he just throw her out like that? The only one that had been with him longer was the stupid swordsman, and sure, at first, she’d only used him to get back to Cocoyasi Village, but that was years ago! Hadn’t she proved herself? Hadn’t she fought by his side, helped him get to where he was today? Hadn’t she loved him?

A sound that she resolutely refused to call a whimper escaped her lips, and she pulled the cloak closer around her shoulders. Chopper told her on his last visit that once it worked out she should be careful about getting sick, because even the slightest cold could make things become unstable and she’d lose it. The procedure was experimental at best to begin with, and the little reindeer could make no promises if it would even work in the first place, let alone whether they could try again.

So, she’d kept it secret. She knew how he got his hopes up about things, and the last thing she wanted was for him to be disappointed. It was just how he was, and her heart clenched at that thought. How could he not trust her?

“Navigator-san.” The gentle, alto voice broke through her thoughts, startling her.

“Ah. R-Robin!” She quickly wiped her cheeks, trying to hide what she knew the archaeologist had already seen. “I didn’t see you there!”

“Naturally.” The brunette woman began to smile, but her eyebrows drew together. “Your mind was elsewhere.” Her eyes flickered up to the top of the hill, where the innocuous cottage sat, looking over the town. “Perhaps somewhere warm, dry and more suited to waiting out the weather than the middle of the road.”

The ginger shook her head vehemently at the implication. “No. I need to find a ship. Please tell me you’re docked somewhere nearby?”

If Robin was here, chances were that Franky was around too, and that meant she wouldn’t have to stowaway. She could ride comfortably. Maybe she’d go to Drum Island, or back to Water 7. Regardless of where she went, she couldn’t stay there. Raftel was no longer home if he wanted nothing to do with her.

Robin pulled the soaked woman into her side to share body heat, supporting her best friend, her favorite chess opponent, her Nakama. "Of course, Nami-san. Come with me and we'll get this all sorted out back on the Lotus."

The ginger didn't even realize she was shivering until that lithe, secretly powerful, arm slid around her shoulders. Her hands trembled harder as she gripped the cloak, hoping to hide what threatened to become both shame and mistake. It really wasn't much, but on her skinny frame the difference was noticeable, especially to those closest to her. It was how he'd found out. Damn his moments of absolute savant level clarity!

She shook her head, feeling the stress weighing heavily on her shoulders. All she wanted to do was curl up with a stack of fresh parchment and a clean quill next to the gently flickering flame of her personal heater. Of course that was ruined now too. The entire room was trashed, but for the locked cabinet next to the door where she kept her finished charts. Even at his most angry, he wouldn't hurt that. She shuddered involuntarily at the memory of the burn in his eyes, and bit her lip to hold back the not-whimper, letting her almost-sister guide her to the small two-person ship.

Robin traveled as fast as she dared. She could tell things were horribly wrong, but this was not the time to be asking questions, especially not painful awkward ones. So she quickly got her Nakama onto the ship, into the galley, and, with the help of so many hands she could hardly see, undressed and redressed the frozen woman in dry clothes. The brunette gave her a blanket to wrap up in while waiting for the tea being brewed on the small stove. Raspberry leaf, specifically, for its health-giving properties regarding the female reproductive system.

During this, the grateful ginger related what had happened between her and the most powerful man in the world over the last several hours.

“So, what is your plan?”

It was routine now. Something would happen that altered the status quo, the navigator would come up with a course of action, then she would brief Robin, who was her most dependable partner, her pillar of support, her trusted right hand.

“Plan? Heh... right... plan.” Other than 'get away' she honestly, for once, hadn't thought of anything. "I suppose try to find Sanji-kun and Zoro. At least until he's calmed down and I can actually talk to him about what's going on."

She gripped her mug, relishing the scent of the brewed liquid when a disembodied hand grew from the table to pour the steaming pot into it. She looked lost and for all the world as though nothing made sense anymore.

"I-I'm sorry, Nee-san. I just never thought he wouldn't believe me."

Robin frowned. "...I can’t say as I ever thought that either. Luffy is usually so perceptive about these sorts of things. He isn't the type to be easily... misdirected... But Swordsman-san is out. As the first mate and his best friend, Zoro will be the one he goes to first and—oh dear—if he's there, Sanji is probably with him. No matter his personal feelings on the matter, Zoro’s first loyalty is to his captain. Given Luffy’s reaction… Zoro will most likely not believe you either, and these days, he can prevent Cook-san from offering aid."

The archeologist bit her lip as she turned her own cup in her hands, her thoughts circling faster than the petals of her Devil Fruit. She already wasn't liking this, and judging simply by appearance, the Strawhats had a ways to go before the truth was fully known.

"I wish... well, it doesn't matter what I wish." Nami sighed, "Just... get me to Water 7. I can make it from there. If I can't stay with Sanji-kun, maybe Kaya will be willing, if nothing else, to give me a roof over my head while I try to sort this out fully." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and held her temple, closing her eyes for moment. "Chopper never said I wouldn't be able to think clearly. I didn't even know it was going to rain today."

Robin kissed her forehead, pushing her damp hair out of her face. "Shhh. I'm told from the second it happens the hormones throw everything off, and with the day you've had I cannot blame you for paying less than perfect attention to the weather. It's okay."

The navigator had just decided to rest her head on her arms, when the door to the small vessel’s interior banged open with a loud, "Ow! Bobby, you'll never guess..." Sunglasses were pulled down, a sky blue eyebrow arched, and his voice dropped to a distinct growl, "What's she doin' here?"

"I... Franky! It isn't... I mean... don't be angry! I didn't! I swear!" Nami was on her feet again, backing against the wall opposite the large cyborg, who had obviously been to see her husband before coming here.

Robin gave him that most vicious look. It was one he'd seen only three times before—the 'you will shut up right this instant or I will finish the castration I started in Water Seven!' look. This was accompanied with the 'either fuck off or obey me' hand gesture he saw on more of a weekly basis when he done something she didn't agree with, but didn’t consider worthy of a nasty look. That woman spoke more without words...

She went straight to Nami afterward, one eye on her man as she soothed, "It's okay, don't stress yourself, dear. Come on, sit back down, shhhh. Franky will get the ship moving and take us anywhere we want to go, isn't that right, honey?"

The smile she added over her shoulder would have had Luffy himself shrinking back from her.

He gulped audibly, his right hand instinctively clutching his family jewels, and taking a step back, "A-anything fer you, Babe! Where we headed, Navigator?"

His second sentence was colder than he probably should have used but he hoped the immediate compliance would help him avoid going to bed that evening in pain. Since he could still hear the girls while securing the rigging and lifting the anchor, he did so, while waiting for instructions.

Nami sank into the seat again, cursing the fact that she was on the verge of more tears. "Anywhere! Just get me out of this hell!"

The desperate tone in the ginger's voice had the cyborg tilting his head back around the frame of the door. He pushed his sunglasses up to the top of his head, bedecked with a Mohawk today, and eyed the two women. Catching his lover's gaze, he hoped the confusion and desire to speak later came across as well as he wanted it to. Silent language was her bag, not his, but somehow she usually knew what he meant anyway.

Robin gave him the 'we'll talk after Nami is in bed, she needs to rest' nod in reply and soothed her Nakama, hugging and rocking her gently. "Shhh, shh. It's okay. It hurts most now. Tomorrow, it'll hurt too, but a little less. Enough, maybe, to go numb and come up with a plan. You know you're our best strategist. You've been the only thing that got us through so many trying times in the past. You'll be able to get through this as well. Things will still look bleak in the morning, I know, but you might be able to think then. It's okay. You're with us."

The stoic older woman never lied, not to her Nakama. It wouldn't look better in the morning, not really. It hadn't when she'd known all the people she loved were dead and she was still a lone survivor. But she'd had to come out of it. She'd had to make a plan in order to keep surviving, to keep going. She knew what to do for her devastated friend, or at least she hoped so.

For once, because everything else seemed to be wrong, and the only thing she wanted was to be wrapped in that impossible embrace again, the navigator let the archeologist soothe her until she fell into a fitful sleep on the ebony-haired woman's shoulder. It was almost enough to make her believe they were back on the Sunny and everything had just been another one of those horrible nightmares all of the crew suffered from occasionally.

Satisfied he'd gotten his message through and wanting to give the girls privacy, Franky used a tiny Coup de Vent to propel the ship back out of the harbor in the direction they'd come. Unfortunately for the women's conversation from before, that meant the Mecha Lotus was on a direct intercept course with the All-Blue.

A couple of hours later, the bright blue hair poked its way silently into the cabin. Thanks to his tricks, and the ship's design itself, a hybrid of his cola-engine and the jet dial technology, they were miles out to sea, and the island's weather was no longer affecting them. The sun was beginning to set, but the air was still warm.

Robin had tucked Nami into the galley bunk with a pillow under her head and was sitting at the table, with a deep, painful frown. It wasn't the kind that said anything, exactly. But this was the frown she wore when reviewing her deepest, most painful memories; when something truly horrible and cruel had happened, the kind of injustice Luffy so valiantly had always charged forth to rectify. Yet in this case, it was the savior himself that had caused such pain. 

Seeing Franky at the door, she stood silently. Abandoning her cup, she followed him out on deck where their talk would not wake the poor woman who was their current guest.

His curiosity outweighed what he'd been told for the moment, as he shut the door after his lady, and stepped up to sit cross-legged on the sturdy prow of the small vessel. His glasses were once again on top of his head. This conversation was heavy and needed his full attention. So, that meant, first, waiting for the love of his life to speak, and second, making sure she could read absolutely everything that was going through his head, because he was very painfully aware that he did not explain things the right way sometimes.

"I have the facts. You have... whatever Luffy managed to convey, which is never the facts and certainly not the whole of it, because when has our dearly beloved captain ever had the whole of anything," her voice was as close to sharp and cold as it ever got at the mention of the pirate king and was most telling of her true anger.

She didn't show her emotions lightly, especially not that one, even with him. Her calm was legendary. So, that slight bit of edge to her voice spoke endless volumes about how downright furious she really was about everything. She could usually forgive Luffy his faults, because that was just how he was, but NOT when it hurt their Nakama, his very own wife.

"So… tell me what Luffy told you and we'll clear things up from there."

Again, his right hand slid down into his lap, just barely away from his genitals, in an unconscious gesture of nerves, but his left, which he usually kept at the ready due to its arsenal, he slid up into his Mohawk. "He said she cheated on him. That he had proof of it 'cause she was knocked up, and everybody knows that Devil Fruit users can't have kids." He winced slightly at that, but plowed through it, "He said that she'd been sneaking off, having secret meetings with people fer months and not tellin' him a damn thing about 'em. And he put the numbers t'gether when he realized she was gettin' thick 'round the middle."

Robin sighed, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. "...I see. How... unfortunate. Luffy, as we well know, once he's decided that he's figured something out, nothing can change his mind. It's... such a shame. His... calculations," her voice was cold, devoid of any emotion at all, "were missing a vital 'number'. I happened to have noticed our very own genius doctor visiting Raftel much more often than usual of late, and often conferring with other minds of his level such as Trafalgar-san. But there's nothing for it now, I guess." She heaved a deep sigh, leaning on the railing. "...we have to protect her. Her and the babe. Without Luffy's protection, without Zoro... even if Sanji is on her side, without the protection of the entire Monster Trio..." her voice broke for a moment and she closed her eyes, a fist pressing to her chest as she breathed deeply. Even the thought was enough to grieve her deeply. "...We have to hide her, Franky." Her eyes cut to his, dark and serious and scared. "We won't be enough. She might not realize it yet, but now, from this moment onward—no, from the second Luffy reached the wrong conclusion, stormed off and withdrew his protection... Nami has been marked for death."

 


	2. Trouble at the Floating Restaurant! Luffy Aboard the All Blue!

Meanwhile, aboard the ship named for a legend, the king of the Pirates paced. He never paced, but he was pacing. He was furious, and though ranting had helped for a short while, now he was full of nervous energy that he just couldn't seem to burn. He rounded on the gathered group of Strawhats, and threw his hands up in the air, fortunately not stretching them.

"Now what?"

Zoro shrugged, stretching his legs out in front of him under the table and leaning back against the wall. "You already kicked her out right? Not much else to do."

Brook, in his strange skeleton way, frowned. Being the eldest of the entire crew, he knew some things about life in general the rest tended to overlook. "In my day, such a thing wouldn't have been so terrible. I'm afraid I'm still not understanding why you're quite so upset."

"She hid it from me! And then denied it when I asked her about it. She admitted she's pregnant but refuses to tell me who, or why, or even when it happened." Luffy frowned at the floor, crossing his arms over his chest, which inadvertently pulled his coat tight across his shoulders with an ominous crack. "If she hadn't been so obvious... how can I trust her, Brook? She lied to me."

The owner of the restaurant-ship sat next to his lover, and took a long, slow drag on his cigarette. "She may not always be completely honest, Luffy, but she's always been loyal. Something about this isn't right," He knew it was stupid question but he had to ask anyway, "Are you absolutely sure she's slept with someone else?"

"How else would you explain it, Sanji!? I can't get her pregnant. No Devil Fruit user can! You know the trouble Franky and Robin went through last year." He was pacing again as the blond nodded, quietly thinking around his smoke.

Zoro snorted and growled like a dog; obviously, if his captain hadn't been utilizing the floor space to pace, he would have been. More than the anger of being lied to; the hurt of Nakama going behind the captain’s back felt like personal betrayal. “None of it sits right with me. What’s the sea-witch hiding if she’s all on the up and up?!”

The cook glared but said nothing, merely blowing a cloud of smoke in his lover’s face. He learned years ago that trying to change the mosshead’s mind was like trying to turn the tides, but it didn’t mean he had to like it, a fact he made obvious as often as he could when topics such as these were brought up.

Brook crossed his legs, looking thoughtful. "...I may be antiquated, here, but... again, I do not see what's so upsetting. Don't you suppose she refuses to admit the father because she either wants nothing to do with him or because as far as she's concerned, you, her husband, the man she loves, is the father? Such things were commonplace back when I was young. It was referred to as 'surrogate fathering'. Or, well, there's the less pleasant possibility..."

He, and possibly Sanji, were the only ones that understood what the 'less pleasant possibility' meant, probably. It was unlikely, as Nami rarely went anywhere unarmed, but there was always the possibility, no matter how slim, she was caught on a bad day unarmed and/or unaware.

To the side, the blond shuddered, gripping the table and his leg sliding underneath to touch the swordsman's for comfort. He spoke softly, as though even referring to it could make it reality, "Raftel is a dangerous place, even with you there, and you haven't always been there."

The rubber man stilled, his face aimed at the floor so that his features were in shadow and when he spoke, his voice carried the deadly calm that told those around him, he meant business, and made it obvious that, surprisingly, he actually did understand what his musician meant.

"She wouldn't admit that, would she?"

"She would never admit that," Brook said before Zoro could get a word in edgewise.

That was a good thing, because the swordsman was lost. What did danger have to do with Nami being knocked up? He frowned, but kept quiet as he scooted a bit closer to his lover, unconsciously recognizing the need for support even if he didn’t fully grasp the topic of discussion.

"She knows you would react violently and probably destroy the island that is your home if she admitted that. If such a thing happened," the skeleton was quick to add. "You know how sometimes, when she gets so concerned about an oncoming storm, she'll leave her Clima-tact at home. And Luffy... being so honest does mean everyone in the world knows what your weakness is." Brook's bone-hands wrapped around his cane handle. "The whole world is aware that in order to incite your rage, they need only attack your Nakama. If they wanted to lure you into a trap, all they would have to do is hurt one of us and lie in wait for you to come get revenge."

If his features hadn't been shadowed the gathered three would have seen the way the years-old pain flashed across his face. No matter which one was in trouble, the one that still haunted him, still refused to leave him, was the one where he'd failed. His entire being was made for protecting his precious Nakama, but in that instance, with that one who’d meant so much more to him and had been with him for so long, he’d failed. That moment was etched in his memory such that even now there were days where he swore he could smell the sulfurous gas that had clouded the air, and feel the sheer oppressive heat of the enemy. Truly nothing had changed him, shaped his being more, than Ace’s death.

As such, he was beginning to regret the way things had exploded. If she really had been... he shuddered, violently. He'd seen one of the girls that worked at the bar where he always hung out with Shanks come back after having had that happen, and she'd been withdrawn, secretive. He'd even go so far as to say distant. His brain worked quickly, in the manner of confident decision that it always did, re-evaluating the last several months, trying to come up with a way to fix this.

In the silence that was steadily growing heavier, Sanji could do nothing but concentrate on his breathing. To think that his precious Nami-swan may have been... he couldn't wrap his mind around it.

His voice was shaky, and tight. "Is there anything we can do, Brook?"

"We can pray that isn't what happened. But... Luffy..." His empty sockets seemed to look to one side. "...you didn't... leave her alone, did you...?"

It, or at least part of it, suddenly came to Zoro. His body stiffened. Lone pregnant woman. On Raftel. Vulnerable, and obviously so after Luffy's very loud leaving and banishing of his wife. And Nami wasn't all that strong, not really, not compared to them.

"Franky and Robin were there." Luffy squeaked.

His unconscious tilt away from the three seated males betrayed what he didn't say, and Sanji wasn't sure whether to jump the table to strangle his captain or faint. So, he settled somewhere in the middle.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR XANTHAN BASED MIND!?" Luffy winced, and the cook kept going. "This is worse than Usopp on Water 7! He, at least, had places he could go and hide!!!"

"Nami's smart. She'll be fine. She'll meet up with Robin and then..." The rubber man trailed off, remembering how he'd ranted at Franky before storming off the island.

Suddenly unable to stand anymore, he sank to the floor near the wall, drawing his knees up to his chin, and for all the world, looking like he was half his real age. He'd been so focused, so sure, that she'd cheated on him, had lied to him, but now, he wasn't sure of anything. The king of the pirates had never been so uncertain in his life, and it was a feeling he decided that he absolutely didn't like. It reminded him too much of fear; of being trapped and held down; of being too weak to protect what he cared about. It felt like the way the world had after Ace died. Somewhere in the distance Sanji was still ranting but lost within his own mind, attempting to make sense of things again, Luffy couldn't hear him.

The already white skeleton seemed to go whiter. "R-r-robin? Robin?! Oh God. Oh my word. Oh dear merciful heavens!" He collapsed against a bench, fanning himself. "She's... she's gone. And… we may never get her back. Because you know Robin." His sockets grew darker, seeming to deepen to pitch-black pools. "Robin is the only person who knows every hiding spot and secret place in and out of the Grand Line. If there's anyone who can hide Nami where even we couldn't find her, it would be Robin. And worse, she will be angry with you, Captain. Very angry. And when Robin gets angry..." He left it hanging.

Even Zoro shuddered at the memory of the last time Robin was really, truly, angry. There had been no escape for the sorry bastard—eyes and hands and legs everywhere turning into one massive deathtrap, inescapable, and he had suffered a long, slow, torturous death. She'd been the cat, playing with her mouse, tossing it up and letting it run before sinking her claws, over and over again, until she had tired of the game and finally ended it. Painfully.

"Wh-wh-what do I do!?" The captain wailed, throwing himself at Brook's feet because it seemed the only one who had any sense about the whole situation was the musician.

"Pray," Brooke said softly, hands on his cane. "If we're lucky, we'll intercept them before they get too far out to sea. You might be able to get on their ship because lord knows Robin is not going to let us on. If that fails... I don't know. Nami is a brilliant strategist. She'll work something out and we may never know what it is, never see her again. Especially with you denouncing the child. We may never get the truth of it really. And Robin will want to keep her from being stressed. For if she endures too much stress, you know, she may lose the child."

The potential tragedy hovered in the air like one of the navigator's famous lightning clouds, just waiting to explode over all four of them. Deciding the best thing would be for his hands to be busy with something, Sanji climbed to his feet, brushed a kiss to Zoro's temple, and made for the kitchen itself.

The room they were occupying at the moment was more a small dining room and living room combined with a semi-galley reminiscent of the one that had been on the original Going Merry. It was the first of the private quarters Franky had designed when the cook and his swordsman first decided to create the floating restaurant. To get to the public parts, there was a door on the wall to the right of the table, as well as a second door across the room that led to a small deck that doubled as landing zone for visitors. That way the Strawhats didn't need to come through the restaurant itself to see each other, and Sanji didn't have his often intimidating Nakama scaring away his customers or destroying his property.

"I'm making something, what does everyone want?" The cook took the last long drag from his cigarette and crushed it in the ashtray on the table.

Zoro grunted. "...Takoyaki," he muttered. That was comfort food. "...and dango." And the other was guilt food.

While he believed Luffy in that the child wasn't his, and he still hadn't caught on to what the others were alluding as such things never occurred to him, the fact was that one of his Nakama was vulnerable and he had agreed with, volunteered, to leave her that way. He was the first mate, responsible for the crew: it wasn't right to leave anyone unprotected, let alone one of their weaker members. And regardless of what she had or hadn’t done, Nami was still a member of the crew.

Brook sighed. "If you have any leftover soup... I'm not very hungry, Sanji."

"Me either." The captain had curled in on himself, holding his legs with his face buried between his knees.

There was a moment's hesitation, but the cook nodded and left the room to do his own comforting. He couldn't fix the situation. He couldn't leave his restaurant to go look for her, and even if he did, the chances he'd find her were slim. On top of that, what if she had, in fact, cheated on Luffy? Would he even be able to confront her? She was his precious Nami-swan, and if he had ever considered seriously pursuing a woman, chances were that she'd have been his target. That put her a cut above other women as far as he was concerned. So, with nothing else that could be done, especially as the stupid Marines had yet to fix the Den Den Mushi problem that had been caused by the collapse of the World Government several years ago, Sanji did what he did best. He cooked.

Back in the other room, Luffy pulled himself over to the wall with a dejected stretch of his arm, keeping his hat down low. Truthfully, he wanted the baby, even though it wasn't his. There was no greater adventure anymore, he thought. He stared out through a gap between his arms and the brim of his hat, eyes distant and full of sorrow. How could he find her? She was his everything. Would she even want him to find her after the things he'd said? And Robin? How would he deal with Robin when she finally caught up with him again? He'd be stretched to his limits and then some. He was certain that she'd have Franky come up with some kind of torture device to dry out his skin so it wouldn't snap back again, or maybe freeze him so it turned brittle and cracked. He shuddered thinking about the possibilities, and for the first time that he could ever recall, he did exactly as Brook suggested, he prayed. He prayed she was safe. He prayed she would be happy. He prayed that she made it through this, and that Robin would leave his limbs intact. But most of all, he prayed she would come home. As that thought crossed his mind, the rubber man closed his eyes and let the sorrow that had both fed and then stolen his anger spill across his cheeks.

There came a sudden THUNK! THUNK! from the side of the ship. Franky's docking devices latching on—their ships had crossed paths.

Robin needed supplies: pregnant women needed specific nutrition, and she didn't have nearly enough raspberry tea to last to Water 7. But this was where Luffy was, and Robin knew it. She told Franky to guard the door and not let anyone, especially the rubber captain, inside.

"AH!" Luffy's head shot up and clanged against the wall. "She's here!"

He ignored his tear stains as he practically climbed the beam at his back, though he knew the surface would just give the archeologist more places from which to sprout his certain doom. He knew it was too much to hope for Robin to let him explain, and talking to Nami herself after all of this would probably just end up with him in even more trouble than he was already. So, he merely tightened his mouth and braced himself. If nothing else, he'd attempt to escape to the Mini Merry, which was what he'd used to get from Raftel to the All-Blue in the first place.

In the kitchen, Sanji sighed, pulling raspberry leaves out to steep, and collecting an assortment of soda crackers to top with everything from apple slices to a zucchini paste he'd created the last time he had served a pregnant customer. Arranged beautifully on a tray, he brought the previously ordered dishes to his marimo and the musician, before stepping up to the door that led outside, hoping to have it open before his lovely Robin-chwan, in her justified rage, did any damage to it.

Unfortunately the archeologist beat him to the entrance, but was frightfully calm, given the situation. "Ah, thank you, cook-san."

Her eyes flashed though, peering behind him. As long as she had a line of sight, she could bloom her appendages anywhere she could see. She growled when she was blocked by a white-clad bronze chest.

"Step aside, Zoro."

The swordsman held firm. "No. You’ll do something irrational."

"Step aside."

His black stare bore into her blackened stare. "I refuse. Out of everyone, you’re most likely to kill him if you vent your anger on him. Unless I get a promise not to kill, you'd better just take that to Franky."

A line of arms sprouted, carrying the tray from hand to hand back to her own ship, where an entirely too-cheerful voice cooed from inside, "Ooh! Sanji-kun! Pickles!!!"

The cook melted a little, a stray heart floating up to twirl next to his ear, but he knew better than to move. Forward lay the chance of crossing Robin's wrath, and backward would mean more of his own beloved would be in danger. Regardless of who the threat was, the blond would not allow his marimo to be injured deliberately.

The stoic woman kept her stare locked with Zoro's for a minute more. Then a dangerous smile appeared on her face—Franky would have been able to identify it from a mile away with a shudder. The 'you have just made a severe blunder and I'm about to take full advantage of it' smile.

"Very well, Swordsman-san. I promise, no killing.”

Zoro felt abruptly uneasy, very uneasy. All of his hair stood on end. But reluctantly, he stepped aside.

The archaeologist's stare cut all the way back to where the captain was still backed up into a wall. At that moment said wall sprouted arms. Everywhere, arms. And each one seized a little bit of rubbery flesh and started to pull, until there was a sheet of rubber man from corner to corner of the room.

Luffy gritted his teeth. He couldn’t help fighting against the pulling thanks to his nerves about being frozen or dried out, but doing so meant that the action was quite agonizing. His mind ran in a circle of self-blame. He deserved to be stretched beyond his limits for what he’d done, but if he let her do that he could never make up for it, even if it sounded like something impossible to achieve just then.

Sanji took the moment to step around Robin to the dock and greet the shipwright. The two exchanged a nod, but said nothing, preferring to keep their attention on probably the only woman in the world that was capable of killing the king of the pirates without a blade. The silent conversation held the fact that should something be destroyed in the process of punishing the captain, the cyborg would gladly fix it. The blond pulled a hand-rolled smoke from his pocket, and the blunet used his finger-blowtorch as a lighter to sort of seal the deal. Then both were drawn back to the altercation between captain and archeologist.

“Ngh." The rubber man tried to close his eyes, only he found that he couldn't, and he had to breathe heavily through his nose for the way that his lips were stretched to prevent him from speaking.

Robin's eyes were cold as she held him there. So cold they burned. "You, my captain, are a very, very lucky man. One, because I'm really not going to kill you, since you taught me the treasure of Nakama so long ago. But bear in mind, I am very. Angry. With you. I don't know when it's going to taper off, if ever. But the other reason you're lucky is because I'm relatively certain she still loves you. And I will never inflict permanent harm to my Nakama by hurting someone they care about. So," Two of the hands let go of his head, enough he could breathe easier. "I am going to take Nami wherever she wants to go. I might even, after a while, tell you where. Where she goes from there, however, not even I will be aware. And Nami is smart; very, very smart. She knows she and the little one will be in danger if they linger long. You had better hope she lets you catch up, if she chooses to let you know if she's even alive after the baby comes."

Monkey D. Luffy didn't give up, it just wasn't in his nature to give up, but yet, standing there, immobilized, with the love of his life threatening to sail away forever, he found there was nothing else he could do. Any words he said would simply make her run further, faster, because no matter how much he meant them, he knew she wouldn't believe him. So, he hung his head as best he could while still stretched.

"Just... keep them safe."

Zoro shuddered. He couldn't watch this. He couldn't hear it. To have Nakama at odds… again... it chilled him to his bones. Sanji and Franky also looked away, between the fury in the dark-haired woman and the defeat in the proudest man in the world; it simply wasn't something any of them could watch for long. Worse still, the implication that Robin could do what she wanted with the rubber man was more horrifying than anything she had actually done. The cloud of negativity hanging over the group was so cold even Brook shivered a little, the bones of his rib cage making a rattle-type noise in the tense silence.

She released him completely.

"That, I can do. For a time. When it gets out..." her eyes closed, in that instant the pain of the situation obvious in her own frame. "Numbers don't always add up properly captain. Calculations go wrong. Step carefully. You are the one who hurt her and, one day, you will be the only one who can fix it. Not now. The hurt is too new. But one day, soon. Within the year." Her face loomed from the doorway, serious and dark. "You will heal her, because you are the one she needs, the one she loves. But only when she's ready. Am I clear?"

"Aah." Was all he said, rolling his shoulders to work out the kinks and keeping his hat low.

He turned his back to them all, paused for a moment, as though he was going to say something, but didn't, leaving the gathering through the door that led to the restaurant itself. Whether he was going to simply stay out of the way, or heading for the Mini Merry, nobody was quite sure, but the fact was he left, so far that even his aura dimmed out of their senses, for all the sorrow it held before disappearing.

 


	3. Nami vs. The World! Robin Knows Best!

Sanji was the first to speak into the silence that followed, "I have most of what you need, Robin-chan, but someone needs to get a messenger bird to Chopper. She needs to be examined. Regardless of how the baby came about, all of this stress can't be good for it, or her."

"I know, but he was recently called up to Skypiea. Some sort of epidemic affecting those tiny wings the residents have, a feather-rot that gets into their bones," Robin said, the flame of her anger banked for the time being, and just exhausted in general. "You know how hard it is to get any messages to Skypiea."

Zoro grunted. "Someone'll have to go get him then."

Robin's sharp glare turned on him.

He shifted uncomfortably. "...you know I can't go on my own."

"Especially without your navigator to guide your broken compass," was Robin's barbed agreement, her voice as sharp as her stare.

"I suppose the Old Geezer could watch over things for a while. It'll take him a week or so to get here if Brook would be willing to pick him up." Sanji stroked his goatee, now even more fully grown in than it had been after the Okama Incident, which made him downright refuse to be clean shaven.

The skeleton nodded, “Of course, I would be glad to retrieve Zeff, but I could just as easily travel to Chopper, no? Yohohohoho. I’ve heard tell that Skypeian ladies are much less guarded about their panties.”

A collective groan and Sanji’s glare almost knocked the musician from his seat, but all were so used to his perpetual quest for women’s undergarments that the comment was mostly brushed aside in favor of the much more pressing topic at hand.

"We could get Usopp to join once we get to Water 7, Bobby." Franky scratched absently at his right bicep. "And the punks under Bakaburg could look after Nams 'til she figures out where she's goin' from there."

Robin turned on her other half. "Nami isn't safe," she said flatly. "In the time it takes us to gather the crew, in the time it would even take to send Brook to get Chopper now, Nami could be dead by morning. None of you understand. Even before she left Raftel, she has been a target. By now, it'll be all over the island, by morning, the Line, and within three days the entire world will know that Nami is vulnerable. You have no idea what it means to be targeted by everyone you meet, everywhere you go. Nowhere is safe. Nothing is sacred. She needs a team she can trust, and right now?" Her glare was hair-raising. "She cannot trust this crew. Not in its entirety, not after what Luffy did and said. We are not enough. And there is no time to be waiting."

Zoro scoffed. "Oh please, as if it's that bad."

She whirled on him and the next thing he knew he was in a choke-hold with the wall.

"Shut your mouth, bounty hunter," she was bristling, "do you have even the faintest clue what it's like to be the prey? To know no shop owner, no elder, no island is safe, to know that every step you take may be your last, to know there is only an everlasting chase, that the only thing to do is run until your last breath?!"

Her eyes were tearing without control. These were painful memories. It had been a painful existence. To have been a child was bad enough, but to be with child and attempt to endure that? It would have been nigh-impossible.

The expression brought an equal reaction from those around her.

"O-oi! R-Robin-chwan..." Sanji reached out a hand, which almost imperceptibly shook. The only thing that could burn through his nicotine that quickly was his Marimo’s life being in danger. "W-what about somewhere in the South Blue? No one goes there because it's more ocean than islands. We could take care of her. She doesn't have to face this alone. We may not completely understand what happened between them, but both Luffy and Nami-swan are our Nakama, and we'll move the world before we let one be killed."

Franky stepped up, "He's right, babe. We went into Enies Lobby for you. We took on Blackbeard and his shit. We've taken down the Shichibukai and the World Government. We can take care of her. Promise. It's not like it was back then. She's got a crew that cares for her."

"You're not getting it!" Her voice was rough as she released Zoro, leaving him to cough against the wall as he sank to his knees. "The world is still full of greed! Taking down the worst, most cancerous sore helped, yes, but there is still corruption! There is still greed! There is still cruelty! We all know there are hundreds gunning for Luffy's title and his spot, just among the pirates! And what Marine wouldn't want to capture the greatest thief of all time, Cat Burglar Nami?! They might not hurt her, but the sheer stress would cause a miscarriage, and don't even get me started on the Revolutionaries, much as I like them, all those warriors have no respect for a pregnant woman, and many would pressure Nami, looking for power, or assurances, or something. You know full well Sabo and Dragon have little control this far away from their headquarters. Anyone she meets could sell the right information to the wrong personage and—" she began to sob. "You don't know what it's like! The price of being well-known and powerful is that danger will come looking for you. The sheer numbers will overwhelm us, get around us, she isn't safe! She has to go into hiding where no one knows her!"

Instantly, Franky was holding her, big, strong arms wrapping his flower in the most gentle of holds he could manage. "Shh. We'll get her to safety. I'm sure there's somebody who'll be able to hide her. If... if I thought she'd make the trip, I was gonna say bring her to Skypiea, but that current ain't safe, even without the little one to think of."

"I already have plans, if you don't mind."

The ginger-haired navigator stepped in from the dock with more confidence than she really felt. Though she was certain that her now-ex-husband was gone, the cautions about Zoro and the fear that the others might turn on her as well coiled like a frozen snake in her stomach.

So, she came up with a plan, as usual, "Sanji-kun, if I could have more of the pickles and tuna paste, please?"

"H-hai, Nami-swan!" The blond responded with only a slight hesitation as he handed his lover a mug of the tea from before to soothe the swordsman's throat. Then he gave a few half-enthusiastic hearts in her direction.

Zoro, just about to take a sip, turned slightly green. Pickles and tuna paste?! Swallowing, he gingerly put the cup aside, suddenly not trusting his stomach. He… he was just going to sit quietly in his corner right now. He'd never seen Robin this out of control and it honestly scared him.

The archeologist herself pressed into her lover and did her best to dry her tears. She managed to get back her usual calm with a few snickers, and slightly red eyes. "Oh good. You are our best strategist and planner," she said, though a bit watery. "I'm afraid I'm not at my best for this, with all the memories and emotions interfering."

Nami smiled, and tossed her hair with a bit of false pride, "Of course. We discussed before what would happen if I ever had to leave the island, and as long as we get to them before word does, I can blackmail each and every one of them into being my personal bodyguards for as long as I need. Most of all that one. Though, when we get to Water 7, I'll need to get in touch with Kokoro-san."

Franky frowned ever so slightly, beginning to get an idea of what she had in mind, but said nothing as Sanji waltzed back in with a plate covered in more of the soda crackers.

Zoro tried not to look, the scent of the treat far worse than what his imagination had conjured. "Who's the ‘we’ that you discussed this with... that you'd have bodyguards better than your own Nakama?"

Robin glared at him again—she'd been over this—and in response Zoro noticeably shifted closer to his lover.

"Never you mind your fuzzy green head over it. It's better if you didn't know. That way nobody can use the information against us. Besides which, they prefer to remain anonymous when they're working. I've already taken the liberty of using one of the All-Blue's messenger birds to send word ahead to be waiting for me." The navigator’s nose was in the air, baiting the swordsman as a defense mechanism.

The cook deliberately stepped in front of the marimo, a hand resting on the broader man's shoulder in silent support and restraint that kept Zoro’s mouth shut, "Not that it's any trouble, Nami-swan, but are you and Robin-chwan absolutely certain that we can't protect you? I mean, I'm sure whoever you have lined up is capable and all, but there's no one in the world who's stronger than us."

"Only when we fight as a team," Brook suddenly said, standing. "And we have to be a team because with one of our number missing, and the possible infighting, we will appear weak. And our enemies know it, isn't that right, Lady Nami? By the way, congratulations. Though it appears things have changed greatly since I died, I have always been of the opinion a life is a life, and all children are still children who need love and protection. If ever you need me, I am ever at your service."

Most of the others around the room jumped, his presence having been almost forgotten. His face was solemn, and he tipped his hat to Nami. His full, gentlemanly bow was something of a bygone era, but perhaps something that should have stayed rather than faded into the past.

Robin gave a semi-wobbly smile. "Like I said, Nami, we'll take you wherever you need to go."

"Th-thank you, Brook. Robin."

The navigator's voice shook at the first positive statement she'd heard regarding this thing that she'd worked so hard to achieve. It proved to be too much for her fragile state, shattering her previous air of confidence. Her first sign of things not quite being right was the way her face clouded over and the cloak still around her body shifted, indicating that she'd moved the hand she had hidden. Why, oh why, couldn't that have been what he had said first?!

Though she'd thought it over, she had decided she couldn't take any of them with her. Luffy would need them more than she would. She was sure of it. Call it navigator's intuition, but she could sense rough weather ahead. The kind that usually meant people's lives were in danger and, generally speaking, brought the Nakama even closer together than they already were. The sudden tears that accompanied that thought had the redhead whipping around to hide them in the safety and darkness of the Mecha Lotus' galley.

Torn between following his mellorine, and protecting his Marimo, Sanji looked to Robin, "Is she ok?"

The brunette shook her head, but couldn't find the words.

"No, she will not be 'ok' for a very long time," Brook said solemnly. "Children, my friend, are often the breaking point of any relationship. Saying bad things about the miracle of life as Luffy did... well... that not only hurts the mother terribly, it invites disaster upon the infant, and no child deserves to have its life cut off before it can even begin," his voice was low, and if it was a little harsh and thick, it could be blamed on his old-fashioned view of the world. "I'm afraid she may never trust anyone fully ever again. The man she loved and trusted most turned on her. That is not something anyone recovers from easily, if at all. That, I know, has never changed."

"But... and I blame the stupid Marimo for the fact that I am even saying this, we still don't know if Luffy was the one to turn on her first. What if she wasn't..." Sanji paused, "What if, may the Sea ruin my tongue, what if Luffy's right?" Holding up his hands in defense, he pushed forward before anyone could say anything. "I know! I know! She's been our trusted navigator for years, but the possibility still remains that she cheated on him. You all know how trusting Luffy is. What do you think his response would be if that trust was broken? Possibly not even just once. We've all been out living our dreams; can a single one of you actually, honestly, tell me that things haven't been brewing between them under the surface? When he was here Luffy spoke several times about feeling like she was being sneaky and secretive over the last few months. We haven't been near Raftel until yesterday."

"We were in Alabasta, helping to recover the poneglyph." Franky looked to the side, sucking his teeth.

Brook gave them a flat look that was too much like Robin's: it spoke volumes. "Regardless of where the child came from, it is a child. In my time, a woman often, if she found her husband sterile, could and would seek out someone to give her that child without ever truly straying from her husband. As far as anyone was concerned, her husband did father the child even if everyone knew he'd been cuckolded. It didn't matter." His cane thumped the floor with a sound like thunder. "If she did cheat, something I deeply doubt, I do not think it would be a breach of trust so much as a means to an end. Haven't we all done things we are not proud of, things we never have and never will speak of, in order to achieve a goal?"

An almost imperceptible pause took the other four off guard under the skeleton’s inky gaze as all gathered in the room knew the answer to that question was a resounding 'yes'.

"W-wait! I'm not saying that! We all know too well the price of Devil Fruit users when it comes to children." Sanji cleared his suddenly tight throat, and Franky sniffed, deliberately not looking at anyone, as the cook continued. "Yes, we've all done things we shouldn't even contemplate, let alone speak about, and of course, the child needs to be protected. All of us here know what it's like growing up without protection. Some more than others," he nodded sympathetically at Robin, "but we can't just lump all of the blame on Luffy. You saw how defeated he was. I think he was confronted with something he couldn't understand, and it made him jump to conclusions. He isn't the sharpest knife in the block. I just think if this was something they'd talked about, he would have reacted differently, and as far as I am concerned, at least having talked about it, there would be no betrayal. It would be an agreed upon course of action. So, either, she was raped and refuses to admit it, or she did betray him by doing this behind his back." Suddenly exhausted, apparently from having to talk down about his beloved mellorine, Sanji sank to Zoro's lap, shaking a bit more violently. "I... I need a smoke."

From apparently nowhere Zoro produced a cigarette, which he put between the cook's lips, and a lighter, which he used to flick a flame into being that he held for his lover's convenience. Sometimes it was just those little intimate details that could offer comfort.

Robin sighed. "Perhaps... but there are some things a woman just... just does not discuss! Not with her husband especially! Child-related issues in particular can be... jarring... terrifying... painful... it hurts bad enough. We've no wish to drag the people we love into it with us."

Brooke nodded. "You both have a point. Perhaps she should have talked it over with him first. Probably so, in fact, but simply put, we really just don't know what the Hell is going on—pardon my language—and the only one who could clear it up is clearly not talking. After what has happened, I cannot blame her. I repeat my earlier prediction: we may never, in fact will probably never know the truth of it."

Sweet, sweet, blessed nicotine flooded the cook's veins as he listened to the exchange among the other three, leaning against his lover. Franky was holding the ebony-haired woman tighter and murmuring something that the blond couldn't hear into her delicate ear. The struggles of the last year and a half would have to be all the more painful for the pair now that conception among their crew had actually been achieved. Let alone the possibility of his precious mellorine being raped. It took him several minutes but by the time he'd burned through half of his cancer stick, the tremors of withdrawal were gone and he was rock steady as ever. So with a final turn to his swordsman that put his nose under the mosshead's chin, Sanji climbed to his feet, looking for all the world like things weren't blowing up in their faces, as usual.

"Robin-chwan, the Marimo and I will gather your provisions together. Then you'd best make haste. As much as we all would rather you didn't, you have made some very important points this evening, and Nami-swan obviously has her plan all worked out. So, what else can we do but give what support we can in the places we're allowed." He gave a small bow, and turned on his heel with a sideways glance to his partner, "Mosshead..."

"M' comin’."

The bigger male grunted as he got to his heavy feet and trailed after his life partner. He still was on Luffy's side, but he was seeing, quite sensibly, that sides didn't much matter. Not while Nakama was in danger, regardless which side was right. He'd have to put his faith in Nami's devious brain. He didn't trust her, exactly, but he trusted her ability to wriggle out of whatever situation into which she ended up.

As soon as the other two were gone, Franky ran his thumb across his lady's cheek, whisking away the tears he was sure she hadn't realized were there. This wasn’t completely about Nami, and he knew it, but there wasn't much he could do outside of reminding the amazing woman he lived with that as always they'd get through this crisis the same way they always had. And though things looked bleak at the moment, they'd pull through.

He didn't know what to believe as far as how things had happened but he tended to side with Brook about it. Regardless of how, it had happened, and the intelligent thing to do was to move forward from there in what he desperately hoped was the right direction. Logic stated that with the navigator as the focal point of the whole situation, she'd guide them the way she always did, but that was assuming that the rest of the crew supported her in the way she needed them.

As soon as he was certain that the trembling under his steel covered limbs had settled, he pulled back testingly.

"The Lotus needs a re-fuel if we're gonna reach Water 7 before the end o' the month." The unspoken 'are you ok?' hung between them.

Robin chuckled and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "That won't be a problem. However, if we can, we'd best stock as much cola as we can carry. We need to travel as fast as possible. No matter what the plan is, the faster we can implement it, the better."  _ Yes. We can talk later, but we have more pressing concerns just now. _

"Right." The cyborg nodded and moved off to the kitchen, pushing the door open with another loud "Ow!" designed to clear the lingering tension in the air.

That re-stocking was probably the fastest, most efficient endeavor the Strawhats had ever accomplished. No one much said anything, and several of the burly cooks that worked under Sanji made a 'bucket line', so to speak, so that the crates of foodstuffs and cola could be handed man to man from storeroom to ship as quickly as they could. The air hovering around the five pirates kept those newcomers from even looking at what they were carrying other than to check for shelf-stability and fragility. So, within the hour, the Mecha Lotus was filled to bursting, her engines fully re-charged with enough left over that if they wanted, and were judicial about rationing it, they could probably make it all the way to Reverse Mountain before needing to stock up again.

As the last crate was loaded, Sanji danced out onto the deck, tiny hearts following his pace. "Robin-chwan, Nami-swan!" He said, holding out a covered tray for the ladies to take. "Dinner, courtesy of the All-Blue. Be swift, my lovelies! Be safe."

Knowing exactly how heartfelt and serious those words were, Robin's eyes were soft, and her voice held more emotion than anyone had heard in it for years, as she nodded her head formally and bore Sanji's gift to the galley in a couple of spare hands. "Thank you, Cook-san."

Zoro watched the archaeologist herd her lover and the sea-witch onto the Lotus and stared, frowning, as the docking mechanism retracted and locked in place. Leaning on the railing, when smoke drifted by, he shifted.

His voice was low, wary. "...this will be a bad one."

"Yeah." The blond exhaled slowly, and as the little flower shaped vessel disappeared into the distance, he called, "You can come down now. Dinner's ready and I know you're starving, even if you don't want to eat, shithead."

A lazy, sandal-clad foot stretched down from the roof of the All-Blue, followed by the rest of the rubber man entirely too gently to mesh with his normally boisterous appearance. His eyes remained glued on the tiny ship getting smaller.

"Aah."

 


	4. The Past Returns! Enemies No More!

During the journey, bird messengers had been sent and received. Everything was all arranged, and, in the shady little bar not too far from Galley-La’s Dock One was the welcoming party; three men who thought they’d never again set foot in the city that was one of the Grand Line’s major trading hubs. Two of them sat in a carefully casual way that made them somehow blend in despite the iconic features that would ordinarily have made them stand out; just as they had years ago when the Strawhats had first blown through the town. But then again, they were professionals. Going unnoticed was a specialty. The third man stood behind the same counter he’d used as his cover the first time, polishing glasses, and for all the world looking like the barkeeper that was his persona. All three were skilled enough that under their assumed calm façade they were ready for any hint of trouble, ready to deal with it even before any of the civilian patrons would catch wind of it. All in all, everything was in position to go off without a hitch; the only thing left to do was wait.

At that moment, an excitable young woman that had been an even more excitable child during that previous incident burst into the bar, with a laugh, carrying a small blue cat-rabbit. "Grandma said I should get some juice juice, Gonbe!"

"Nyah! Nyah!" The animal that shared the name grinned, as they pounced on the nearest bar stool.

Behind them, one of the two men rolled his eyes, hidden by the baseball cap pulled low over his entirely too-recognizable nose, and sipped from his own drink, listening carefully. This was the signal. The young woman took her juice, but instead of drinking, held it up to look through the bottom of the glass.

"Aw, Gonbe! I wanted orange juice. This is mikan!" She pouted, but drank it anyway, and gave a small shiver, "Eh. Too hot, the stuff I get in the backstreets is better. C'mon, Gonbe, we'll go tell Grandma that it's better for kitties like you to go out at night, not now!"

With that she dashed out of the bar again, leaving many of the patrons who weren't Water 7 natives wondering just what the random young woman had been talking about. To the three men for whom it was intended however, the message was clear. The target had arrived, via Scrap Island thanks to the crowd of people flocking to witness the unveiling of Galley-La's latest achievement: a sky train, named Puffing Frank, designed specifically to connect Skypiea with the rest of the world. They also understood that one of their number should come pick her up after nightfall, when there was likely to be less commotion.

The tallest of the three adjusted his top hat, which despite the need for disguise he felt justified in keeping. The only ones who'd recognize it either were okay with him or long dead. This was the signal of 'that's the plan, we stick to it. No deviations necessary'. Despite being a rather large, lanky man, the way he sat in his corner made him appear squat and unnoticeable.

The man behind the bar, 'Gonbe', continued on with his job, but three bottles of cola were surreptitiously stowed in his fridge. A stock for a particular 'customer' to fuel up in case of trouble.

Said customer did arrive a short time later, flanked on either side by the two girls he'd always traveled with when he lived there full-time. He sauntered up to the bar, putting on the air of being the womanizing thug, slid his sunglasses down his metal nose, and gave a feral grin, "Fill me up, 'Gonbe'."

"Still don't know why he chose the girl's pet's name for his own." The man in the ball cap muttered almost silently about the bartender.

He had to fight the urge to glare at the man he'd known as a hoodlum and a criminal way back when, as the large man behind the counter silently got out the bottles and handed them over in a smooth movement with a little half-smile, just as he always had.

"It's as good a cover as any," the supposedly squat male in the corner replied in the same almost-silent murmur, almost like he was talking to himself as his tall hat shaded his eyes. "After all, after the last one was blown, everyone would recognize him since this is still referred to as his bar."

"He didn't even change his hair." The first responded, apparently ignoring the goings on of the others in the bar. "At least everyone else was intelligent enough to alter our appearances."

He didn't mention his nose, as there was little he could do about it, but he had grown his hair out and now sported a goatee that was thin around his mouth and hung down like a goat's beard from the base of his chin by about two inches.

There came a low growl on that odd sound length. It was almost like their own private audio channel. "Few that are spry enough to come to a bar recall it, and he had to be identifiable to the client."

The second man still got very touchy about having shaved off his uniquely-shaped beard and his previously luxurious curls in exchange for short, choppy strands. His neck got cold and the sharp ends both tickled and itched. He hated it.

All the square-nosed man replied with was a grunt that was almost more a different language than a sound, as he drained the last of his drink and stood, hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched and affecting a limp.

"Mah, Koro-kun, ya git more stingy ev'rytime we come 'ere." He fished a few beri coins from his pocket to put on the table, his accent thick, but his voice louder than their previous conversation. "Nest time, th' drinks're on yew. I've jus' 'bout burned through m'coffer this week. Feh."

The apparently short man stood up, and he turned out to be very tall and slightly crooked, like he'd spent too much time bent over his work. He too had a thick accent and a slightly louder voice. "Aye, n' eff m'wife's left enno' fer vittles, ah'll pay on m'turn, Tommy."

"Feh." 'Tommy' said again, "Slipp'ry one she is."

Then he made to leave the bar, deliberately leaning heavily to one side, and glanced out from under his cap over his shoulder at the blue-haired cyborg at the bar with a barely imperceptible nod. He received a salute that looked like the other man was just scratching his head. The message had been sent, received and replied to; now all that was left was to wait for nightfall, which wasn't far off, judging by the angle of the shadows.

'Koro-kun' hobbled after him with an odd, peculiar lope often seen in older carpenters, developed over a lifetime of hauling timber, with a tip of his hat in the 'bartender's’ direction. This was answered with a head-tilt that appeared to be the big barman cracking his neck. The door would be ready when and where they needed it.

Shortly after exiting the building, the crooked man lapsed into a shadow. If anyone noticed a particularly large alley cat following around a local gimp, they wouldn't think anything of it. Or, at least, most didn’t. As the two disappeared into the alley, a fairly tall man, with wavy blue hair pulled back into a low ponytail tilted his head. The sunlight glinted off the lavender lenses of his sunglasses, and his eyebrow arched.

“Well, well, well… look who’s back in town.” He murmured, drawing a piece of paper from his belt.

He scribbled a short note, and strode quickly to the closest post office. The captain would want to know about that. Especially if the scuttlebutt around town about the Pirate Queen was to be believed. This could very well be the chance their crew had been waiting for since the death of their leader. As he walked, a second piece of paper fluttered from his long, fur coat. Nothing was written on it except for a symbol: a canceled smiley face with a grin that stretched from one side to the other, displaying entirely too many squared-off teeth.

Night came swiftly, and all around the city, more loud and boisterous than usual, the previous members of the Franky Family created disturbances. Mostly parties and goings on, but a couple of bar fights, and in one place, the attempted break-in of the neighborhood's resident yagara breeder. This kept the authorities of the city occupied, and left a defined silent, darkened path for one ginger-haired navigator to escape from the company of her dearest friends.

She knew she should have let them know the rest of what she'd planned, but she just couldn't risk one of them being caught by any of Luffy's enemies. So, as soon as she was certain the household was at least pretending to be asleep, Nami slipped out of the back door and into the gathered darkness. She tore down the streets as fast as she thought she could get away with, reaching the bar where the message had been delivered roughly half an hour after setting out on a deliberately backtracking and winding path. She clutched her hood together and pushed through the swinging doors, on edge and her other hand wrapped comfortingly around the cool metal of her Clima-tact.

The bar was curiously clear of customers, probably due to the rather large cloud of greenish gas that was currently escaping out the window as the bartender cut a door in the middle of the establishment.

"Hurry now," he murmured, "that stink bomb won't keep them out for long."

On the other side of the door was what looked like an underground tunnel, and a massive sharp-eyed, spotted yellow cat was waiting for her.

Without looking back, Nami stepped into the tunnel. Though she felt no safer among these than she had walking around on her own, the threat from each of them was well-known, for all that she was sure they'd grown stronger over the years since last they'd crossed paths. She didn't speak until she heard the 'door' shut behind her. Then she dropped her hood, in that non-space, and greeted the cat.

"Lucci."

 


	5. Help Usopp! Attack on the Going Merry II!

On the deck of the Going Merry II, four weeks later, the Great Captain Usopp tumbled across the wooden planks, bouncing onto his feet with his Kuro Kabuto aimed and ready. He gave a hearty, proud laugh, and launched the small round sack from the modified slingshot.

"Flying Fish Star!" He declared as the balloon exploded against its target, showering the poor man with ice cold water.

It wasn't a big deal exactly, as the weather was hot and sunny, but it was a shock and the man, who had previously been a servant of the sniper's wife's house in Syrup Village, jumped around on the prow of the caravel like a crab, trying to keep the freezing droplets from running down his back unsuccessfully.

"Yosh! The Great Captain~ Usopp strikes again!" The curly-haired sniper posed for the woman of his dreams, with a bedsheet tied around his neck like a cape.

"Uh, Captain? We-we have a-a-a problem," the lookout called down from the crow’s nest.

He was seeing something impossible, something terrifying: a ship flying a flag with the symbol of a man known to be some years dead. It was either a ghost ship or... something much worse, a copycat.

The captain of that vessel stood with his arms crossed, a demented grin on his face and the wind blowing his short blond hair back from his eyes as he set sight on his prey.

"Eh?" The sniper frowned and pulled his goggles to his eyes, scanning the water in the direction of the lookout. "Wh-wh-WHAT?! AAHHHHHH!!!!! BATTLE STATIONS!!!" The men aboard the Merry II looked at their self-appointed captain for a few moments, blinking, as the brunette's knees were shaking horribly. "M-m-man the cannons!! For God's sake!"

The second order did it, and the few that had traveled with them from the East Blue did exactly that. Hoisting sails for speed. Someone at the tiller for control. And everyone else taking up rifles and other long-range weapons, as the double Rogers on the main mast flapped angrily in the same wind bearing the enemy. The higher, larger black flag bore the symbol the world knew as the Pirate King, the Straw Hat atop a grinning skull and crossbones, but beneath it, the placement marking the Going Merry II as subordinate to the Mugiwara, flew a second Jolly Roger, a skull and crossbones with an screaming style mouth, proclaiming them to be the Usopp Pirates.

And if there was one thing the Usopp Pirates knew it was distance fighting. Ninjin, Tamanegi, and Piiman flanked their captain, each armed with similar kabuto. As soon as everyone was in position, the sniper's nerves actually calmed somewhat. They'd known this could happen, and they'd trained for it. All they had to do was sink the ship before it could get too close.

"Yosh. Kaya-koi, hide in the galley. You shouldn't see this; the sheer power of the Usopp Pirates could very well blind you as it did the strongest of warriors from Elbaf!" Usopp laughed louder to cover his worry—the man was dead, and this shouldn't have been possible.

Donquixote Doflamingo, curse that demented pink bastard's soul, had, at the pinnacle of his power, a reach that stretched across the globe. No one on the seas had been able to completely escape him. But, somehow, one of his toys had managed to live—this toy. He had been a favorite for a very short time because of his striking resemblance to Don, except for the scar above his right eye and being obviously much smaller. To boot, this one had reason to hate Luffy and his crew in particular: they had been the former shichibukai’s excuse to discard him like so much rubbish. If he’d been more inclined to think logically about it, the fact that Don had discarded him probably aided in his, and most of his crew’s escape, but this man didn’t think logically. Considering how well, and how often Don had played with him, it was a wonder the man could think at all.

A grin more suited to a demon from Hell or a wild beast split his face, and he crouched, quite literally coiling his strength. It wouldn’t be long now, and then he could mop the floor with the damned straw-hat bastard who’d handed him his first and most humiliating defeat. He still had the faint imprint of the asshole’s fist in the side of his skull.

"FIRE!" Usopp screamed, as soon as the other ship was in range.

He would take no chances. There were few flags that Luffy demanded be retired, and this was one of them. The mere fact that the person, whoever he was, had the gall to fly that flag incurred the Strawhats' wrath. The fact that the enemy ship was also bearing down on them without slowing gave another good indication that this was not a friendly social call, as many of the other encounters had been for the mostly timid villagers intent on accompanying Ms. Kaya on her trip down the Grand Line to Raftel to see the Pirate King for the first time in many years. So, as cannon balls flew, exploding bullets rained, and the sniper's own personal armament was launched, no one was quite ready for, or heard, the coiling of springs.

Then Kaya screamed, and Usopp whipped around faster than any of the gathered fighters had ever seen before. “Let her go!”

The sheer determination on his face was something to be reckoned with, and had his opponent been a weaker, or more sane, man, he would have blanched at the fire in the sniper’s eyes. However, the cracks in the enemy’s mind only made him laugh harder. It was easy to see why he’d been given the nickname ‘the Hyena’.

“Come and get her, if you think you can, little Strawhat.” The blond man leered, his legs already coiling.

Kaya screamed again, flailing and kicking.

“Kaya-sama!!”

Several of the servants tried to advance on the pair, only to be met with the booted feet at the bottom of the man’s springs. They went flying in both directions, crashing through the Merry II’s walls and railing like she was made of toothpicks. Piiman charged under the barrage of splintered wood, his baseball bat, now reinforced with steel plating, poised to clobber the Devil Fruit user.

He never got the chance.

Ninjin dove for the railing as the unconscious body of his comrade sailed through it, “Pii!!”

As such he didn’t see the attack that sent him launching up into the air with an explosion of blood from his mouth. Just because the captain of the enemy pirates was on the deck of their ship didn’t mean that the rest of his crew was going to sit back and twiddle their thumbs waiting for him to return. And as Usopp was frozen, paralyzed by the attack on his wife, a sniper from the crow’s nest of the attacking ship had sent a scatter shot straight through the young man’s chest.

He coughed again, body spasming, and he fell to the deck, his eyes glazed over and staring lifelessly at his captain, who spun faster than he could blink and fired back.

“Grow Up Kuro Kabuto! Kaiken Star!”

A dagger, more accurate than any arrow was launched from the five-prong, jet dial enhanced device, arcing through the beautiful sea air with a spin that turned the double-bladed knife into a drill that quickly embedded itself into the eye socket of the sharpshooter who’d dared to challenge the King of Snipers. The body of the deceased man fell from the crow’s nest in what appeared to be slow motion, and everyone on both ships held their breath. Then as the crack of bone on wood broke the silence, followed by a shrill scream from the assaulting ship, a roar from behind him made Usopp flash back around, arm raised and weapon ready.

“HOW DARE YOU!?” The blond, spring-loaded pirate tossed Kaya to the deck where she landed with a small scream, and launched himself, full force at the Strawhats’ long-range weapons master.

Usopp dove to the deck in the nick of time, repeating the somersault and hop that he’d used earlier in levity, to bounce on the balls of his feet with his weapon drawn. “Kaiken Star!”

The second dagger sailed at his enemy, but because of the springs on his legs, the larger man ducked and the blade buried itself in the Merry II’s mast. The Hyena’s grin was back as he stalked forward, winding up his legs, while Usopp realized he’d been backed into a corner.

“Uso.” He swore, trying to edge his way out, but a spring-loaded punch made the wall to either side of his head explode into splinters, and tumbling him into the galley.

Kaya pushed herself shakily to her feet. “LEAVE HIM ALONE, YOU BASTARD!”

“NO! KAYA!!” Usopp screamed as his wife launched herself at the attacking pirate.

“So ready to be in my arms, pretty thing? My pleasure.” The Hyena twisted the spring his torso had become to re-capture the pale woman, and on a whim, he made her scream again by using his obscene tongue to lick from her jaw to her hairline. He purred in her ear, loud enough for Usopp to hear him, “Mmmmm, I love it when they scream.”

“Get… your filthy hands… off my wife!”

The sniper was back on his feet, a bit shaky, with scratches covering his bare shoulders and face where the wall had collapsed around him. His eyes were shadowed, and though his breath came in short bursts, his hands were steady, raising Kuro Kabuto in its small form with ammunition already loaded in the pouch.

The Hyena grinned again, hefting his prize up onto his shoulder, “Make me!”

He jumped back, and shot his foot at the sniper, bouncing off one of the servants with a sickening crunch, before pounding the curly-haired man back into the ruined kitchen. His laughter resonated around the ship, and he hopped his way to where Usopp was once again picking himself up out of the rubble of the shattered wood.

“USOPP!?” Kaya screamed, beating the blond man’s back with her fists and kicking her feet.

“Settle, baby.” He smacked her ass, making her cry out again. “We’ll get to the fun part later.”

His insanely widened eyes, swirled with the promise of all sorts of torture for the King of Sniper’s wife, making the brunet roar his anger and charge at the assailant. There was more laughter and the impact of Usopp’s head with the corner of the stove occurred simultaneously with explosion of a cannon and the scream of a woman.

“USOPP!!”

Gentle rocking soothed the pounding in his head when he began to come around again. He tried to sit up, shifting rubble from his chest and coughed several times, agony tearing through his skull. He rolled over, spitting congealed blood from his mouth and pushing away from the floor to try and stand. His first attempts failed, something in his side grinding ominously and his hand wouldn’t hold him, but on his fourth try, he got to his feet, though the pitch of the ship had him stumbling to lean against the opposite wall after tripping over the broken debris. He groaned, his mangled hand on the wall, the other on his head, as he picked his way carefully back out into what had become night.

A peaceful full moon shone down from a velvety blanket of twinkling stars to reveal the most stomach churning scene on which the sniper had ever laid eyes. Bodies, thrashed beyond repair littered the deck and into the rigging. The mast itself was toppled, crushing most of the aft cabin. That explained why there had been so much damage to the galley. The crow’s nest was gone completely, torn from the top of the once proud pillar like some giant had mistaken it for a popsicle. Growing his slingshot to use a crutch, Usopp stumbled further onto the deck. All of the people he’d set out from his home were gone. Necks snapped. Gunshot wounds. A full half of the prow was blown away, leaving the carved sheep’s head to tilt dangerously to the side with the body of the man for whom both incarnations of the Going Merry had been named sprawled across it in grotesque mimicry of Luffy’s favorite napping pose. Taking in the destruction, he saw the worst was yet to come as the tiller had been snapped off completely and then jammed back into its slot to destroy the gears and mechanisms beneath it. Even if he’d had a cola engine or a breath dial big enough, with no way to steer the ship, he was as good as dead in the water.

He collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face. “Kaya…”

The one piece of good news was that his beloved wife was not among those that had been slaughtered. It wasn’t much, since she was obviously in the hands of the damned spring-loaded Hyena, but at least he could hope that he could get a message to the other Strawhats so she could be rescued. Unlike his three apprentices. Piiman was lost at sea, Ninjin, he’d seen shot to death personally, and Tamanegi he found beneath the mast, crushed.

With no one to be brave for, the curly-haired brunette threw his head back and howled at the moon through his tears. So many innocent lives. Why? It made no sense! What good was it to attack his family?! He wasn’t even one of the more important Strawhats. Surely going after the Baratie, or Laboon, or even Cocoyasi Village would have been more effective than this!? Wouldn’t it?

As his body drained of what little fluid he had left to use for tears, Usopp supposed that no, it wouldn’t. The smartest strategy would be to take out the weakest link first, and even if he was the best marksman in the world, he was still nothing compared to the Monster Trio, the Cyborg, and the Devil’s Child. His face hardened. The bastards had taken the one thing he treasured most in the world, and he resolved that even if he died there on the disabled deck of the Merry II, he’d do it trying to get back to Kaya.

Those thoughts carried him into a fitful sleep that was broken by the sound of sea gulls crying overhead. His body ached. His mouth was dryer than it had ever been, even in Alabasta. And his soul felt like a wrung out washcloth. But he remembered his resolution, and that made his heart pound in anticipation of seeing the blond bastard’s face again.

Imagined ways that he could torture the Hyena got him through wrapping his loved ones in makeshift shrouds cut from the mainsail, and the things he planned to do with Kaya when he rescued her bolstered him through laying all of them to rest in Davy Jones’ Locker. With each one, he sent a sliver of the ship, a coin from Kaya’s coffers, and an offering of food. He’d been amazed that they hadn’t been robbed, and he knew he had precious little to offer the spirits if he wanted to survive as long as possible to get back to his wife, but he had to give them something.

The first few days were unquestionably hard, as he kept whipping around from whatever task he was doing, thinking he heard someone’s voice or caught a glimpse of one of his deceased apprentices from the corner of his eye, on top of fighting off agony from more broken bones than he liked to count. At night, he began to hear Merry fixing herself, just as her predecessor had done. And as the days became weeks, he grew to appreciate the stories his Nakama had told him about their childhood ordeals. Somewhere around day 3, he realized how crushing it was to have the one person he cared about more than anything else in the world be gone beyond where he could reach her. Day 8 brought the mind-numbing loneliness that gave him a sense of what it was like to be the sole survivor of a massacre. His food stores began to run out by day 13, and the gnawing hunger that had been a near constant companion due to his rationing quickly grew to an all-consuming beast within his belly.

It was a full three weeks after the attack before the Going Merry II, in her dilapidated state, bumped into another vessel. By then, all Usopp could do was lay on the deck, in a tent made from what was left of the sails, his tongue and lips cracked from a lack of water, his skin sunk in on his bones from no food, and all of his injuries were healed completely wrong due to a distinct lack of medicines and bandages that had been ruined by the fall of the mast. Most of his vision was hazed over in constant hallucination and his mind had begun to transport him into the place where the most desperate go for salvation while waiting at death’s door. He wasn’t even aware of the change in his situation until much, much later.

 


	6. Broken Sniper! Bellamy in Sogeking's Sights!

It was Zoro who saw the little ship and recognized it for what it was. Zoro who leapt overboard and swam to the poor vessel. Who grabbed a rope, jumped back in the water, and towed it over to the All Blue. It was Zoro who carried their deeply wounded sniper into the medical bay and reported what he had found. And it was Zoro's scream of rage and pain that penetrated Usopp's delusional haze when the ship doctor informed him of just how hurt their sniper was currently and how badly hurt he had been previously. He might never be the King of Snipers again if they didn't re-wound him to set his bones to heal properly.

Coming back to himself the first thing that hit him was warmth, spice, and hint of something only one cook in the entire world could produce. His eyes wouldn't open, his body wouldn't respond correctly, but the taste on his lips gave his tongue the motivation to slip between them and lap at the drops. It was heavenly. He must have died to be tasting Sanji's broth after that Hell, and he found he didn't much care if he had. Only one thing really truly mattered, and she'd been stolen away. A few more drops, another fleeting taste and he had enough moisture in his throat to form sounds.

"...ya... kch... ya..." His tongue tried to loosen his lips again, "Kai... ya..."

His fingers twitched, trying to reach for her, as behind his sealed eyelids he saw the blond haired bastard stealing her away, laughing his sick, twisted laugh, and tormenting the weakest Strawhat with the knowledge that he'd never be able to get her back.

There was a rumble of sound, almost too deep to be understandable. "Kaya's 'is wife. She must’ve been on the Merry Two with him." Zoro's voice was thick and husky as he spoke to the medic. The man was like a caged tiger. "Y’know when he'll be able to tell us who it was?"

Tears began to break the glue holding his eyes closed as he began to realize that he wasn't dreaming, and he wasn't dead. Kaya really was kidnapped, but he had been rescued. He couldn't hear what the medic was saying but he knew the other voice. He knew it as well as he knew his own.

"Z'rrro..." His voice was hoarse, abused and roughed. "Waz... B'l'my... D-D'n's f-f-fl-fl'g."

"Usopp? You’re with us?" The voice was suddenly closer and clearer, Zoro's furnace-like warmth within feeling distance as his snarl rumbled the floor. "Was who? Whose flag?!"

Someone was telling Zoro not to pressure him, but he hissed.

"Don't tell me to leave him alone! He's trying to speak, whatever the message is it's important—someone fuckin’ get the cook already!"

"Already here, Marimo. Don't bellow in the patient's room. Chopper would have your nuts for doing that." The soothing tones of the cook filtered through almost before the smell of his infamous mulled cider did. "Thank you, doctor-san, we'll take it from here."

Usopp was already drooling and his face twitched, trying to get the words out. "D-D'n... f-flam... ing... oh."

There was shocked silence.

"But he's... he's dead. Years dead," Zoro murmured, hands in his hair. "Who would dare... B'l'my," he sounded it out, slowly, "B'l... me... Bel... me... Bell... ah... me. Bellamy?!" His voice turned into an animal's snarl, "That blond-haired little shit from Jaya?! I forgot the smallfry fuckin' existed after that bullshit with God-Enel."

The sniper’s throat was in agony, but he couldn't hold back the sobs as his body responded to the fact that he'd fulfilled his promise. He'd gotten the message to the Monster Trio. They'd save his Kaya, he was sure of it. If he had to die now, he could greet death happily, knowing his precious beloved would be rescued.

"Z'rro! S-san... j-ji!!" He wailed as best he could, his eyes coming open for the first time in he didn't know how long.

The cook was immediately at his side, a certain pain echoing between the two of them that made the normally aloof blond kneel and wipe away the sniper's tears. In his other hand was a tray of small foodstuffs designed specifically to ease the starved body. He and Chopper had developed them as something of a coping method to ease Sanji’s own trauma. The fact that the recipes were actually useful now that someone else had been on that brink of death… that was just a very fortunate bonus.

Zoro's heavy body thumped to its knees on his other side. "We're here. We'll get the bastard," he assured softly, fingers combing that dark, curly-matted hair back. "And we'll get you strong again, so you can be right there with us when we destroy him."

He knew the feeling of being helpless, of being defeated and forced to watch as an enemy ripped through everything you had tried so hard to protect. He'd seen enough on the ship to form a theory, and what he saw now in the trauma of Usopp's eyes solidified it.

Even though the movements strained the darker man’s horribly mangled body, his chest heaved, and already, the sniper was trying to sit up, proving for once and for all, he was a Strawhat. Just as monstrous, just as resilient, and just as stubborn as any of the others. His glare was hard, even as his arm shook, but he managed, through sheer willpower alone, to raise his head and shoulders from the pillows. He was done being weak. He'd had quite enough of that floating around the Grand Line aimlessly, through several nasty storms, and two chance encounters with sea kings that thought Merry II's figurehead looked tasty. The once smiling sheep now had several deep gouges that made her look like she was glaring at the world.

Usopp found he agreed with her.

"Whoa... w-wait a minute. You need rest." Sanji grabbed the sniper's chest as he almost fell out of the bed. "Let's get you fed and healed first. Then we'll go on that murderous rampage you and the baka-marimo are planning, ne?"

Zoro's strong hand joined in keeping the brunette pinned. "Right. Just like Chopper always tells me, Usopp: Sit down, rest, and get better so you can go to work. Ain't no good to get the fucker all pinned right where you want him if your body gives out before you can really make him suffer. Meanwhile, we gotta find him. So you get better while we track and corner the sonuvabitch, ne?"

His eyes were dark and dangerous. Vengeance was not something Zoro took lightly; it wasn't something he jumped to easily. But in this case there was no other option, only to pay it back in full, or better, tenfold—no, a thousand-fold!

The growl that tore from the sniper's damaged vocal cords threw back in their faces just how often they had listened to Chopper when it had been them in his place, but as his strength really was failing him, he allowed the pair to guide him back to the pillows. The motion brought his left hand into view and he gasped at the way his first three fingers were twisted. He knew without having heard the doctor before that they'd need to be re-broken to heal properly, and he needed them to heal properly to aim his kabuto. With a deep sigh that was cut off by a stab of pain reminding him that his ribs weren't too healthy either, Usopp cast his death glare at the ceiling.

"Oi. Don't go burning holes in my bedroom floor, Sogeking-aho!" Sanji chided. "Here, drink the broth. It'll help with your energy, and if you can handle that I'll make dango for dinner. I may even let certain mossheads have some."

Zoro grunted noncommittally. "...Cook. I need to ask Usopp something."

Privately. What he was about to say, what he was about to offer, was nothing he'd ever thought he'd even have to contemplate after Chopper joined the crew. And he didn't really want Sanji to hear it.

Casting a sidelong look at his lover, the blond nodded. "I'll just go start on that dango then."

He climbed to his feet, leaving the bowl of broth and plate of finger foods on the table next to the bed. He had a fair idea of what was about to happen, and as such he made his way quickly to the kitchens, where he instructed his entire staff to deliberately ignore any sounds coming from his private rooms. Several of the servers and the newest busboy looked at him confused but a glance or two at the sous-chef and the line cooks—big, burly pirates just like the ones at the Baratie—and those who had questions determined it was safer to keep to themselves.

Once the cook was gone, the curly-haired brunette turned to the swordsman, "Un?" His voice was still ragged and uncooperative, but slowly, with the broth he'd consumed it was lubricating what had been dangerously close to giving out permanently.

The swordsman slowly looked him in the face, in the eyes. His big hands clenched into huge fists and his shoulders were tense. "Y’know your bones need to be... re-broken. The doc—he's a good doc, Chopper trained him and all, but he ain't Chopper. I don't... trust him to break exactly where the break needs to be. So... if you say so... I'll break 'em."

His entire body flinched as he said it. Hurting his Nakama with his own hands... but hurting to heal. Regardless, the process made his insides twist.

"And... when you’re better... I'll help you get strong again. Really strong," he added, mostly to soothe his own conscience. "You’re never gonna be Luffy, or even me, or Sanji. But we can make you a close fourth. You'll need to use therapy to get full use of your body again anyway."

"Ah." was all Usopp actually said, but he raised his left hand, mangled fingers and all, offering the currently offensive appendage to the green-haired man. After a moment, he growled. "M-ma... ke m-me s-strong... f-for Kai... ya."

Zoro took the hand and gave his sniper a firm nod. He carefully felt for the exact place he needed, gripped it firmly, and the same way he used to snap metal rods for Usopp's inventions, he twitched his arms. The snap, for all that it wasn't particularly loud, seemed to echo through the whole of the ship, followed by two more, which the larger man performed with equal precision.

Amazingly, the sniper never made a sound. Sometime ago, even at the beginning of that same year, he might have been wailing, moaning the pain, or cursing, but now, after the last seven weeks... the only sign that it hurt at all was a small quiver in the nerve that ran down the side of his face. And the stillness with which he waited for Zoro to splint the three re-broken bones was something that previously had only ever been seen when he was wearing his Sogeking mask and could hide behind that persona. It was actually a little scary, the hard as flint core the sniper had developed. In the end, it would be a waiting game to see if the brunet ever returned to his carefree, fun-loving attitude.

Once the task was done, the swordsman retrieved the bowl of broth, helping Usopp to sit up just enough to swallow without choking while still avoiding pressure on the smaller man’s injured ribs. The marimo had complete faith that the King of Sniper’s recovery, or lack thereof, would all depend strictly on the Bellamy situation. And Kaya. Though it hadn’t been said aloud, the fact that the brunet called for her gave Zoro the seed of hope that she’d been taken rather than killed, as was obviously what had happened to the rest of the crew from the stench of blood hanging on the Merry II’s decks.

"We need to feed you before I work on the rest. And you gotta give them time enough to set so when we start training your muscles, the tenseness of the muscle doesn't force the bones out of alignment," the first mate said. "If that happens they'll have to be re-broken again and that takes from valuable training time."

It was a concise explanation. How Chopper got him to start taking things actually easy: the more often he reinjured himself, the longer it took to heal, and the longer he was healing, the less he would be able to train, which was definitely not smart. He may not have been the most strategic crewmember in the Strawhats, but one did not become the World’s Strongest Swordsman without knowing a few things. And, if there was anything he was knowledgeable about besides killing and swordplay, it was injuries, even if the reindeer doctor disagreed about his timescale regarding healing himself.

Another couple of swallows of the broth, and the sniper began to be able to form full words again, "Wh-where is Ch-Chopper n-now?"

He'd been out of touch for the better part of the last year. One of the main reasons he was coming back was to actually introduce his Nakama to his wife, as several of the members hadn't been there when he'd joined the crew. Getting a letter via messenger bird meant nothing to them because they knew nothing of her. For all that he was a very open person, Kaya was the one thing in his life that he never shared. Oh, he spoke of how he'd entertained her, and even re-told some of the lies he'd spun to make her laugh, and that had been enough to tell everyone on the Sunny he was in love with the girl. But he never described her. The only picture he had of her, he had sewn to the inside of his shoulder bag, which no one went into for fear of being blown up. And he hadn't talked about her personality outside of the way she liked his lies. So, to think that she'd been taken just when she was about to formally be included in his family, it made him grind his teeth.

"In Skypiea. Some epidemic. We've been working at contacting him for months now but birds can't get up there and travel via the streams takes so fucking long. He should be on his way soon though, Brook set off to fetch him back when the shit went down." Zoro cleared the bowl away, getting ready to move forward with the ‘healing’ process.

"Sh-shit went down?" The sniper frowned, the unspoken 'were the entire Strawhats being targeted' was written in his eyes.

"You were with Kaya... um... Nami got knocked up. Luffy found out about it one day and there was a big blowup. Nami ran, said it was better if we didn't know where. I know Robin and Franky were taking her to Water Seven, but I'm sure she went somewhere else after. Too dangerous to stay there, everyone knows our crew there." Dark eyes looked down and to the side. That situation still burned at him. "...we've had issues. Everyone knows the crew's down a member and they're taking advantage of it, trying to topple Luffy harder than they ever have. It's a bad situation all around, especially now since that damned little prick has managed to hurt you."

"N-Nami's pr-pregnant?! H-how?!" Usopp's eyes went wide.

The rest was easy to process, with the rumor of weakness in the reigning King's crew, of course all the smallfry would be throwing their big guns at them in an attempt to steal One Piece, especially since none of them even knew what it was anyway. It seemed the only one that was going about it in any sort of logical form was the Hyena, which, grudgingly, the sniper had to give him credit for his plan. However, the idea that their navigator could be expecting was something that just made all of his stories look like children's fibs.

"She wouldn't say. Wouldn't even tell Luffy. That's why he was so angry," Zoro explained quietly, bringing over more of the treats and helping the brunet hold it in his good hand. "Eat now. As much as you can stand. Sanji's orders. He's managed to come up with special foods that bring people back from starvation quicker without overloading their systems. Let's hope it works. You're the first he's had to make it for."

"That's-s cuz he's th-that g-good." Ignoring the topic of his captain and the navigator, a small smile cracked the brunet's bottom lip, but he hardly noticed as he drained the last of the broth. "H-he'd feed th-the world if he c-could."

"I think he can," Zoro replied with a tiny grin in return. "The part he doesn't kick to death, anyway."

The flint was back, "He only gets wh-what I don't shoot."

"You only get to shoot what's out of range of my swords, sniper," Zoro returned, steel and flint meeting and creating sparks of mutual anger and bloodlust. "Make sure you get 'em before they get close enough or there'll be nothing left."

"There won't be enough to get in close enough. While I'm waiting for my bones to heal, I need to talk to Franky about an idea I have for my Kaisen and Shuriken Stars."

Usopp reached to the side of the bed, hoping that his bag, like always, would be right there. He wasn't disappointed, and once he'd fumbled the notepad and pen from the inner pocket, he made quick work of writing down the ideas that had come to him since last he'd gone over what he was going to do to Bellamy if he ever had the fucker in his sights again.

Once done, he nodded at Zoro. "Ok, let's break the others and get this over with. I wanna have everything set before Franky gets here."

The swordsman gently set the pad on the table and placed the bag back on the floor. "These are going to hurt more. You want something to bite? Sanji will kill me if I let you damage your teeth," he added with a bit of grim humor as he produced that appeared to be a leather strip.

"Yeah, sure." Again there was no hesitation, just that core of steel and flint that marked the sniper among the other trauma survivors in the crew. He took the leather between his teeth and nodded, not really caring where the stronger man started.

Zoro worked quickly and efficiently, eyes closed to use his fingers to determine every place that needed re-breaking. The sound of each bone snapping made the cook's hair stand on end, and when his lover snarled for the doc to come, and bring as many bandages and splint wood as he could fucking carry, many of the others jumped. The one he'd done last was the poor sniper's long nose. It had been broken in three places. It would always now have one of those little humps in the bridge that marked the break.

 


	7. Assemble the Crew! Messages on the Wind!

When the doctor arrived, the cook on his heels, he literally fainted when he saw Usopp sitting up in bed biting down on the leather without a single whimper or tear. Even Sanji found himself a little taken back by the new resolve his Nakama had. Then he shook it off, stepped over the useless man on the floor and set to work with Zoro's help splinting the various bones; both legs in three places, the tibia twice in one, the femur in the other; the humerus in his left arm; four of his ribs on the back right where he'd slammed into the stove in the galley; and, of course, his nose.

"Heh, now your profile's even more distinguished, 'Long-nose-kun'." Sanji quoted their archeologist, and offered both men a bottle of the All-Blue's finest sake. "I know it isn't much, but to seal the promise." He poured three shots. "Usopp gets the killing blow on that bastard when we find him."

Zoro nodded, holding his cup up and his free hand helping Usopp as the cups were heavy ceramic. But this was a highly ceremonious occasion. "Usopp gets the killing blow. But, if I get the chance, I'm cutting off those fucking spring-loaded legs."

"He can spring load everything now. It's how he..." Usopp shuddered, "how he took out Piiman. Coiled his arm like a fucking slinky."

The swordsman paused, and the gears were visibly moving in his head. "...Still metal?"

His eyes strayed to Sanji's leg, his thought clear: the Diable Jambe, which was fueled by the fire of Sanji's soul and could easily melt any metal and burn any flesh.

"As far as I know. Didn't get much of a chance to find out. Bastard threw me into the galley when I charged him. Made me dent the stove with my head." A sardonic smile curled his lips, as the sniper's eyes also slid over to the cook.

As if they didn't already have enough reason to take down the son of a bitch. "That..." Sanji appeared to have run out of insults for the man, because the best he could come up with was, "burnt on rice stain. Has he no honor or intelligence?"

"Nope." Usopp, with Zoro's help, knocked back the shot. "I charged him cuz he put his fuckin' grimy paws on Kaya. Threw her up onto his shoulder like a sack of flour..." He paused, feeling the temperature in the room rise with the fury in the blond's heart. It brought an even more sadistic turn to his smile, knowing that the next bit would flip the switch from 'fucker must die' to 'fucker will be slowly tortured by every ounce of the cook's wrath'. "And he smacked her ass for yelling at him."

Despite his usually swarthy unshakable nature, the large green-haired man went pale. Very, very pale. He even put aside the cups and took several steps back. Mistreating a woman? Worse, the wife of a Nakama who was as good as Nakama herself? Oh god. Sanji was going to start his whole body on fire.

It was what had happened when one of the uppity smallfry currently laying siege to Luffy’s home had casually mentioned that Nami must have been the worst kind of slut for even the ‘worthless Pirate King’ to have discarded her. The resulting wildfire had leveled the offender’s ship and half of Raftel in the process. They’d needed two bottles of Franky’s cola and the entire contents of the All-Blue’s most powerful fire-extinguisher before they could even grab a hold of the cook to submerge him in the ocean.

So, Zoro, completely without trying to even hide it, grabbed the nearest fire extinguisher. It wouldn’t do much if the blond completely lost his temper, but it would at least prevent their private suite from going up in flames the way Luffy’s cottage had. The slightly singed filing cabinet in the corner looked dubious as to whether it could survive Sanji’s wrath twice.

"Of course." It seemed like the sniper's tongue had a death wish as the temperature rose again, "That was after the bastard decided he needed to know how she tasted, and before he took her with him. Or at least I assume he did. I was unconscious at that point."

Everything in the room went quiet, the sort of silence that normally preceded the backdraft of a fire, and slender tendrils of smoke began to rise from the cook's tailor made suit. The end of his cigarette spontaneously lit itself, and where he stood next to the bed, the heels of his shoes were sparking. His hair shadowed his face, but for the core of one ice blue eye, like the center of a flame. It even flickered with intent.

"Cook? Cook—Sanji," Zoro said softly, desperately, gripping the extinguisher for dear life. "Sanji, baby, if you burn the ship we can't catch him. Save it so you can melt him into a heap of slag… please Sanji… don't!"

"Usopp gets the killing blow." Sanji said coldly. In sharp contrast to his body, his words always lost heat. Then he tossed back his own shot to seal the deal, the alcohol igniting right before he downed it. "By the time it happens, the meat to be wasted will be wishing for it."

The sniper smirked, "Ah. Cuz he's gonna have to deal with Luffy too."

Zoro rubbed a hand through his hair. "Oh yeah... fuck... we send off word to him? He's probably the bastard's main target."

He resisted the urge to spit at the mention of the smallfry. No matter how much he deserved it, Sanji hated bodily fluids on his floors.

The temperature dropped significantly, though the smoldering blue coal of the cook's eye remained, and likely would continue until he was able to release the pent up inferno within his soul. "Hai. It is very likely that the attack on Usopp was just the beginning. I'll draft letters to Robin, Luffy and Nami. Hopefully, wherever she is, her bodyguards can get the message."

The sniper whistled after the cook left. "He dropped his honorifics... perhaps we should contact Alabasta as well? And maybe the Neverlands? If we are a target, I'm sure our allies will be as well. Plus a few more eyes in the sea could be helpful, don't you think?"

The swordsman nodded, looking very distracted. "Yeah... the messenger birds are gonna be busy." Then his eyes landed on the sharpshooter’s notebook. "Hey, this was what you wanted from Franky right?"

He pointed to the list at the side of the bed. An idea exploding in his mind, suddenly, and needed to catch Sanji before he sent off all the birds: the person he intended to contact had to be reached right away. It would take forever to reach them.

"Yeah, why? I'm sure when Robin gets the message about him she'll have Franky bring the Lotus here though. He's got everything I need on his ship." The brunet frowned and used his good arm to shift slightly on the pillow to take pressure off of his ribs.

Zoro took the list, and folded it up. "I wanna make sure he brings exactly what you need," he replied absently and darted after Sanji, throwing, "I'll be back in a couple minutes," over his shoulder in promise.

Darting like a green lightning flash until he reached the cote in which the messenger birds were kept, he mentally reviewed the last information he knew about his target. From his pocket he pulled a sheet of paper and a pen, scribbled off a quick message and selected the only bird he knew could make the trip. Holding its beak, he stared it in its beady yellow eye and gave it sharp, specific instructions. When he was sure it understood, he tied the message to its leg and tossed it into the air.

Then he went to meet Sanji with Usopp’s list for Franky. Subterfuge was not his forte, but in this case, he thought this measure was necessary. He knew his lover wouldn't agree with his decision, which was why he'd had to do it without his knowing, but that didn't make him feel any better about it.

The cook looked up from his desk, the black, wire-rimmed reading glasses perched on the end of his nose. "Usopp ok, Marimo? You see a little hurried."

"Yeah, uh, just wanted to put this in the letter to Franky. It's stuff Usopp wants to use on Bellamy when he gets the chance," Zoro replied, passing the list over. "Wanted to catch you before you sent it out. That silly doctor wake up yet, or am I still playing nursemaid?"

"I'm fairly certain, even if Mr. Out-Cold wasn't, we could leave Usopp to his own devices for a while. It's not like he can hobble around and do anything on two broken legs, baka. Unlike some mossheads I know, he has more sense than to try and jump right back into training the second his injury is bandaged." A curled eyebrow rose suggestively at the swordsman.

Zoro shrugged. "I stopped after the second time I re-broke it didn't I? Psssh, who'da thought a healing bone couldn't take just four tons of pressure," he grumbled.

"I'm not even going to touch that one, aho-kenshin."

Sanji finished the letter and dropped the list from Usopp in the envelope. The letter for Luffy was already done and ready to be sent, so he opened the window above his desk, whistled the calling tone and his two fastest birds, Chiqicheetah and Pell, named for the two fastest warriors Sanji had ever had the pleasure of fighting alongside and in recognition of the way they'd fallen in the final war against the World Government. With another moment to tie each letter and give the birds their instructions, they were off.

Surprisingly, the pirate king was not at his home. Well, not really that surprisingly considering the rubber man's lust for adventure, but Chiqicheetah originally flew towards Raftel, only to discover that, in the weird way the messenger birds did, the person he needed to deliver his missive to was not there. So, several hours after he'd left the All-Blue he passed back over it, tailing Pell. It took him a day to reach Water 7, and only fifteen minutes to find his target.

"Ah, thanks, Chiqi." Luffy took the envelope from the bird, and immediately opened it hoping to hear word of his wife.

Not even water meat tasted quite right these days, and that was saying something because next to Sanji's cooking, water meat was the best food on the planet. So, opening it, he had to read the cook's neat handwriting three times before he actually could wrap his mind around things.

"Don!? Attacked Usopp!? Near death... ransacked the Merry II!? KAYA!!! NO!!" The captain of the Strawhats growled, clutching the paper in his fist. "Damned pink bastard!"

He stormed down the street, ignoring the sounds of protest and strange looks he was given, still fuming around a piece of water meat he snagged from a vendor that worked closely with Galley-La. Not that the rubber man realized he stole the thing, but the shopkeeper didn't go chasing after him because the woman knew the tab would be paid when next Iceburg was around to stock up his own supplies. Luffy was so focused on his food and the things in the letter that he wasn't even really watching where he was going. So, it came as a complete surprise to him when he found himself upside down with a woman on his chest... a rather round woman.

"AH! Sorry!!" He scrambled to his feet, hauling her up like she weighed nothing, though her cloak flared out around her midsection.

Once he righted himself, dusting his jean shorts and fixing his hat, he actually looked at the woman, who stood frozen in front of him. The hood of her cloak had fallen down, revealing her long, ginger hair, wide brown eyes, and plump lips he knew entirely too well. His mouth went dry and he reached out to her. All of time stood still as she poised to flee, but his hand stretched just enough to clasp her wrist. Something in the grasp made her stop and stare at him. His dark eyes were drawn to the way the cloak parted, leaving a crescent of pale skin vulnerable to the sun. He moved the hand he had on her arm to brush lightly against the curve of her belly, with something like awe on his face. His palm touched her skin and for a few precious seconds she held her breath. Then he moved ever so slightly towards her and she panicked, with a loud scream that summoned the taller of her bodyguards.

She vanished in the blink of his eye. There one minute, gone the next, his hand still stretched out, the skin still tingling with the warmth of her belly. The profile of the person who'd whisked her away was unmistakable and though his shoulders sagged, and his heart threatened to break yet again, he at least knew she was safe. That gave him enough energy to keep going. If this stuff with Don was really true, it was better she was out of the way anyhow. So, with a final longing look at the place where the woman who owned the King of the Pirates had been standing, he flung himself off to where the Lotus and the Mini Merry were docked. He needed to gather his crew together so they could hunt down the bird-brained bastard.

 


	8. Together Again! Strawhats Unite!

Robin stared at the scrap of paper. One little sentence caused so much chaos. Everything suddenly went topsy-turvy. A dead shichibukai's flag was flying once again and a long-defeated enemy was back with his sights set on their weak spot. "Fuck."

It was the only word that came out of her mouth. And that single word said more to Franky than a thousand. In all the years, he'd never heard her curse. Not once, regardless of the situation. Crocodile had only heard it once, and he had been stunned stupid by the results that followed, which was how she was promoted to his partner. She pulled her hat down further to shade her eyes and handed Franky the paper.

The large cyborg read the paper, spit the mouthful of cola he'd just taken across the room, read it again, and said, "What?!"

"FRANKY!!!"

The yell from the door distracted him from his initial shock with another one; standing in the doorway to the Lotus' galley was the captain, now with cola dripping from his enraged features.

"AH! Luffy! Sorry! Have you seen this!?"

"We're going to hunt that bird-brain down and make him sorry for hurting Usopp!" The pirate king growled, shaking himself like a dog, which sprayed the walls with the cola.

Fortunately the shipwright planned for this, and the paper on the walls was designed to absorb the moisture to be sent through the little ship's filtration system to be turned into bathwater. So, it was of no consequence when Luffy stormed in and slammed his own version of the letter down on the table. There was a telling tension in the rubber man's shoulders that spoke of more than just the misfortune with Usopp weighing on his mind. Of course, the fact that he was in Water 7 at all was kind of a give-away that something was seriously wrong.

He plopped himself down on the bench next to Franky and crossed his arms over his chest. "Doflamingo will be sorry he crossed me right now."

Robin and Franky looked at each other before the ebony-haired woman, with no warning, slapped her captain upside the back of his head.

"You're being stupid again, Captain," she replied flatly. "This isn't about a dead Pirate Lord. This is about one of his discarded toys. One so inconsequential everyone forgot about him and he used it to his advantage. Bellamy, not Doflamingo. Honestly, you were getting better about that jumping to conclusions thing.” She shook her head at his confused frown. “Now we've got that cleared up, Luffy, what are you doing here? What happened to make you leave Raftel?"

"Ow." The dark haired man rubbed his head, then looked sheepish. "I... I couldn't sit around waiting." The same defeated air came over him again, and he took his hat in his hands, holding the brim and running his thumb through the fibers. "It's too loud without her to yell at me. Everything around me just stares at me, even after Sanji burned the house, and... and... and I heard you talking about bringing her here."

Franky grimaced, tensing his muscles to distract his lady if he needed to. Coming here, after being so seriously reprimanded just weeks ago? He understood what his captain was thinking but he certainly couldn't say he'd have the same bubbles to brave coming to the place where he'd been practically told to avoid.

The archeologist gave him a stern look—stern, not fierce. It soon melted and she sank into a chair. "Yes... the silence can be... maddening," she admitted softly. "But now we've got much worse matters to be concerned with. Bellamy is back and he has a grudge. Somehow he survived Doflamingo. The man’s mind must be as twisted as sin. And he's taken Kaya, who was as good as Nakama even before she married Long-nose-kun. How do we get her back and wipe him off the face of the planet? I'm not Nami, Captain, I'm sorry. I can't think of anything better than simply chasing after the bastard's shadow and we may never catch up to him that way."

His wife's name made the Pirate King visibly flinch, though he tried to cover it with one hand rubbing the back of his head again. It'd been so long since they had any kind of situation where Nami hadn't been around to sort out what needed to be done that the brunet was very much at a loss for a course of action. He frowned harder than he had in years, eyebrows knitting together and a small whine, that was evidently his 'thinking noise', emanated from his mouth.

"Oi, Luffy-bro, don't hurt yerself." Franky grasped his captain's shoulder, concerned.

"Mah! Sanji!" Was all Luffy said, making the cyborg even more confused.

Robin raised an eyebrow. "You think Sanji will know what to do?"

She was nearly as lost as her boyfriend. Unlike Zoro, she'd never seen Luffy lost and without his navigator before. It was a fairly unnerving process.

"Dunno. But I'm hungry. So, we need to go to Sanji." Because apparently the food on Water 7 wasn't what he wanted.

As  _ The  _ Strawhat turned on his heel and left the Lotus' galley, the shipwright turned to his other half. He was frozen in disbelief for a moment, before shaking his head in wonder. Only Luffy could be facing potentially the worst threat to his treasure he'd ever faced, and drop absolutely everything because his stomach growled. At the same time though, the blue-haired man had to admit that whatever it was that gave the Pirate King his luck had to be working somehow.

"I'll shove off then, yeah?" He had to ask his lover because truly, he was not following whatever was going through his captain's head.

Robin was massaging the bridge of her nose. "...Do that. I'm sure Bellamy will lay a trap; he's already proven intelligent enough to go for our weakest link. If we have to go charging into what we know is a trap, we should at least be all gathered together. And somehow, somebody's got to get a hold of Chopper!"

"Aye, aye, ma'am." With a direct course of action the mechanical man was much more comfortable.

He also wouldn't say it aloud, but the fact that the captain was now seated on the prow of the Lotus, shouting at the top of his lungs for the cook, seemed to be a sign that the trouble within the Nakama was quite possibly beginning to ease. He wouldn't bet on it, but he certainly hoped with the introduction of a common foe the issues between the king and queen could be forgotten. So, with a considerably lighter heart, he hauled the heavy ropes into coils on the deck, securing the Mini Merry to the Lotus' aft, and eased the flower ship away from the Galley-La harbor.

"SUU-PER!!" He crowed, punching the cola-jet's ignition switch in the center of the wheel, sending the trio careening away from Water 7 parallel to the Puffing Tom's tracks.

The archeologist held onto her hat and prepared for a long, bumpy ride with a slight nostalgic smile. It would be... good... to be riding back into battle with familiar friends at her side. Even if the overall situation was more painful than many of the previous ones.

Four days later, the blond head chef of the All-Blue was enjoying his first cigarette of the morning as the sun rose gently to his left when the peace of the early hour was utterly shattered by a rapidly growing call.

"SaaaAAANNNNJIIIII!!!!!!!! MEEEESSSSSHHHHHIIIIII!!!!!!"

"Oh, sweet Geezer's nose hairs." His smoke dropped to the deck and rolled into the water unnoticed as he tore his way back through the private quarters and into the kitchen like a mad man, bellowing, "OI!! YA LAZY, SHIT-FER-BRAINS, RISE AND SHINE!!" The decibel level dropped significantly when the door to the restaurant proper swung closed behind him. "We have incoming royalty, fuck it all! Stash that roast. No, don't put in the fridge, he'll look there. I don't care what you do with it, Flambé, just don't let him near it. Oodon, get the lead out yer pants and secure those store rooms. What part of my words are you, lazy, good-fer-nothings not understanding!? Keep the..."

He trailed off the further into the kitchen he went, but in the living room of the private quarters it was quite obvious that had the reinforced walls not been between him and the rest of the ship, people would fear for their eardrums.

Zoro was up, having been wrenched from sleep by the first of his beloved’s bellowing shouts, and his hair was bristled like the plant for which he was nicknamed, while he tried to still the ringing in his ears.

"Dear God... well, Sniper, it appears the Captain got word and decided to come visit." He was quiet a second before saying, "Heal faster. I'm... I'm going to get the doc and see if he can do anything."

“Uh... what?" Usopp blinked sleepily.

He was sitting up in the bed where he'd first woken up after everything happened. His bruises were mending quite well, already fading to green and yellow. The split in his lip was almost completely gone. Now they were just waiting on his long bones to finish knitting together. Whatever it was that Sanji put in the food that Chopper helped him design was a miracle. Already, the sniper could flex his feet without the muscles pulling or protesting, in spite of the broken places.

"Luffy's here" was all the answer that came out of the other room and another thump. "Goddamnit! We need a doc with a stronger constitution, this is what the fourth time he's fainted on us?!"

"Sixth." Sanji reappeared, bearing a tray with breakfast for the gathered Strawhats, plus two of the three on their way. "There is a footlocker awaiting him when he reaches—"

"SANJI! MESHI!" The crash of a Gomu-Gomu-no-Rocket shook the ship from flag to tiller, causing the cook and the shipwright to glare, though the captain couldn't see either, until he burst through the door from the deck.

The blond just pointed at the open door on the other side of the room. His staff would guide the rubber man to where his bottomless stomach could be filled without much in the way of distraction. Weak-hearted men never survived long under Black Leg Sanji anyway, so he was confident that the ones who could were also able to handle the chef's captain. The locking mechanism that would hold the Lotus and the Mini Merry flush against the All-Blue sounded, and to a roll of the sniper's eyes, a habit he was picking up from his therapy coach, the lithe pirate danced out of his home in a stream of delicate smoke.

"Robin-chwan!! How good of you to join us once again!"

The archaeologist tipped her hat to him grinning. "I see you prepared for us. Well, Luffy's bullhorn mouth is good for something at least."

Zoro rested his chin in his hand, not moving. For one, he didn't want to watch his lover fawn over Robin, and for two he didn't want to leave Usopp when a stray rubber arm might come whipping in as the captain's limbs were wont to do.

Franky, seeming to have the same mindset as the swordsman, came up immediately behind his lady, and sucked his teeth. "Insatiable idiot."

Two of the Lotus' petals would need to be repaired before she was used for any sort of long voyage again, which meant the shipwright was in no mood for playing games. He wasn't often possessive, but with things the way they were, stress piling on top of stress, he couldn't help himself as unconsciously his left forearm shifted enough to make the sound of a cocking rifle.

Immediately, Sanji righted himself from bending over the lady's hand, and nodded towards the doorway next to the spiral stairs that led to the second floor. "In here."

"H-hey guys." Usopp tried to smile convincingly when the trio joined Zoro in the sniper's infirm room, but it was just as obvious a lie as any that spilled from the long-nosed man's mouth.

"Hello, Long-nose-kun," Robin said quietly as her big, watchful eyes took in all the damage. She, very obviously, did not move out of Franky's arm range and one of hers slipped around his, as she smiled. "I see Sanji's been getting you healed with his miracle food."

Zoro grinned, pride obvious in a way that would never have been possible before Luffy became Pirate King. "That he has."

The sniper puffed out his chest, tossing his head in assumed arrogance, though the glint in his eye was deadly rather than jovial, "Nothing can keep the Great Captain Usopp down for long."

"Yes, well, 'great captain', you've still a long way to go while Chopper is still missing in action." Sanji took a deep drag on his cigarette, his other hand in his pocket.

"Y'don't think something could've happened to the Bonehead, do you?" Franky shifted a little uncomfortably.

Zoro and Robin exchanged a look—rare, but it did happen from time to time. Then they both burst out laughing.

"Chopper? Pitted against something he couldn't beat, outsmart, or outrun?" Zoro snickered. "Not in a million years! Especially not since he can use all his medical knowledge against somebody."

"O-oi!" The cyborg seemed a bit affronted for a moment, but just then Luffy made his appearance once again.

"Whew! Sanji!" The rubber man wrapped his arms around all of his Nakama. "We're back together again! Yosh! Let's kick Don's ass for not keeping a better watch on his flag!"

The archeologist frowned all levity gone abruptly. "This is the second time you've mentioned going after a dead-man, Captain. And I'm now certain it wasn't a fluke. What do you know?"

Zoro stepped back—fuck she was getting that look again.

"Well, Brook came back from the grave, didn't he?" The brunet man's neck twisted his grin upside down, just before the stretched arm that wasn't draped around people's shoulders began to retract, hauling the slight man out the door again with a joyous shout. "Merry II! We'll save you!"

"I-is it just me, or is there something going on I don't know about?" The sniper watched their captain leave as quickly as he came. "He seems almost... manic... which is saying something for him."

 


	9. Resolve!

A string of arms snaked after the Captain, grabbed him and hauled him back inside, pinning him down. "Captain. I forgave you going to Water 7 after I told you not to, but if you don't start talking I may have to reconsider..."

The swordsman blinked down at Usopp. "...We're definitely missing something," he agreed.

Luffy just grinned, one hand on his hat. "Sorry."

"Luffy."

Even Zoro gulped. "Just tell her, Captain, whatever it is, is not worth your manhood! Just look at what she does to Franky, and she's not nearly as fond of yours as she is of his!"

He got several nasty looks for this and ducked behind a door.

"No, really. I can't tell you." The Pirate King's smile grew a sweatdrop. "It's a secret. I promised."

Sanji, Franky, and Usopp hung their heads. Vaguely the thought that it was a good thing the rubber man and his wife were on the rocks at the moment crossed the room, as it became painfully obvious that no matter what the archaeologist planned to do to their captain there was nothing any of them could do to stop it. Worse yet, Luffy, himself, seemed resigned to taking whatever the ebony-haired woman decided to dish out without cracking. It was uncertain if his mental flexibility was due to his Devil Fruit or his idiocy, but if there was one thing The Strawhat didn't do, it was crack under pressure.

Robin eyed him. Usually it was easier to talk around it with the rubber man than speak directly. "Mm-hmm. You promised, specifically, to keep a secret... from your own Nakama? You must be joking."

"Nah. Not just Nakama. Everybody. Nobody's 'llowed ta know, 'xcept me."

His smile grew, and there was a flash in his eye, back to the fall of the World Government where the very last supposedly loyal Shichibukai had turned on his employers in a flurry of bright pink feathers that had given the Strawhats the opportunity to breach the Gorosei's stronghold. His Nakama had seen the large bird-man go up in a puff of expelled feathers, falling from an impossible height to crash to the ground as though whatever invisible line that had been holding him had been severed. There was no possible way for him to have survived. Each and every member of the Strawhat crew was sure of it! The implication otherwise sent chills through the room.

The stoic woman considered her captain for several long, tense minutes. "...This secret. It's not going to bite us in the ass, now is it?"

Zoro twitched. Robin was... cursing? Freely now? The situation had to be more dire than he'd knew. His eyes darted to Franky, and the shipwright shook his head, a motion that was carried through the others around the room as well. This most definitely did not bode well.

"Nah." The captain was cocksure, and apparently oblivious, as always. "Birds don't scare me."

Robin nodded. "Then I will let you keep your secret. Everything comes out in the wash," she remarked mysteriously before slipping out of the room.

The swordsman stared after her and blinked. "...Da fuck does that mean?”

Luffy broke out laughing, falling on the floor holding his sides, the glare he received only made it worse. His mirth was infectious as Franky smirked, chuckling softly as he patted the swordsman on the shoulder before following his lady. Even Usopp was fighting off laughter, as the sound of a lighter near the first mate's ear cut through the dark, tumultuous aura growing like so much moss around him.

"I'll explain it later, aho-Marimo." Sanji had the ember of his inferno dancing behind his irises playfully again.

Zoro threw up his hands and stalked from the room, cheeks flaming. He couldn't help it, that woman just—just—just—

"Stupid... riddle talk... fucking... fancy words... goddamn... gypsy tongue," he grumbled irritated as he paced the deck.

Seeing this as a perfect opportunity, the blond cook tucked the sniper's dirty dishes under his arm, and took the long way around from the dishroom. All too often in the last several months things stood in his way, and well... a flustered marimo was a sexy marimo. So after delivering his burden to the busboys, he deliberately sauntered past the fuming swordsman, tossing a coy eyebrow flick over his shoulder.

The larger man was drawn to that gaze like a moth to his cigarette cherry. He stopped his pacing immediately to follow after him, watching his ass move.

As soon as they were around the corner, the blond snaked his leg out to wrap around his lover's hip mid-walk. A steady, decisively powerful hand gripped the other's chin where rough, green stubble that had yet to be cleared away that morning made the moss ball analogy that more realistic. The butt of his cigarette was forcibly thrown over the side of the rail, and his last lungful of smoke trickled out of the corner of his mouth.

It made his voice husky and demanding. "I love it when you get jealous."

Zoro eyed him even as strong hands pulled their bodies flush. He had eyes only for his cook, his lover, his mate. When he spoke, his voice, too, was low and husky. “Dozzat mean I get ta reassert m'claim?"

"Why else would I taunt you so recklessly?" Sanji teased, nipping at the expressive thin lips in front of him.

Those thin lips stretched wide in a feral grin. "Good. 'Cuz we ain't gettin' nothing else done for a while."

With that he picked up his cook, went through the nearby door, and locked it behind him.

On the deck of the Lotus, Franky smirked at the lovebirds before ducking his head into the secret door that protected his beloved's precious library. "Bobby?"

Robin was in there, sitting on the table, hat at her side, and, for once, she wasn’t holding a book. "I'm here, Franky."

"You ok?" He stepped in, shutting the door behind him, carefully.

She rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. "...mostly. But I can feel the lingering tension. And looking at Usopp... seeing what our feud has done..." She shook her head. "I didn't want to turn into Ms. All-Sunday again, Franky. But I have, and I suspect I'll be staying this way until Bellamy lies at the bottom of the sea."

He reached out, took the hat gently between inhuman fingers, held it up for a moment, then placed it atop the tallest shelf in the underwater room. "Then it's about time I reminded ya who ya are behind closed doors. I ain't involved wit' Ms 'Sunday." He stepped around the table to use the same gentle caress to cup her chin, his thumb brushing along the edge of her bottom lip. "That girl don't exist, 'xcept in yer own mind. In here, where it counts, all ya are is Bobby." He kissed her softly, "Sweet." Lips. "Special." Jawline. "Nerdy." The hollow of her neck just below her ear. "Free."

Her arms came around his thick, augmented shoulders and a long sigh was breathed into the air. Her body went pliant and soft, and a little smile lifted her mouth.

"Mmm. Yes. Bobby. Still not quite sure where that name came from, my dear." She took comfort from him even as her body began to respond.

"S'a nickname. Back when everybody had their own language and letters and stuff the people who came up with the symbols fer 'Robin' met up with some people who had th' same meaning but said it differently." He slipped his hands down to circle her waist and winked. "Sides, it suits ya better. Bobby sounds small and spunky. Robin sounds like somethin' ya do ta people who have too much money."

Robin's laugh rang out, an oft-missed sound these days. It was the strangely delicate, chiming laugh that was unique to her and it hadn't been heard since before the mess with Nami. She just buried her face in her man's neck and giggled, even snickering a time or two. She couldn't even respond, she was so breathless. Oh, moments like these reminded her why she loved this man so much.

He flat out grinned. Yup, just needed to remind her that under all the subterfuge and secrets, the pain and panic, the fear and fighting, there was light and laughter. It didn't matter how dark things ever got, and they had been dark all too-often for the shipwright's way of thinking. The important thing was that even if they had a heck of trip ahead of them, they were all still Nakama, and regardless of whether she had to don that hat again or not, she would never be forced to live as Ms. All-Sunday ever again.

When she was at last able to breathe again, she pulled back just enough to touch her forehead to his. "Love... why the Hell haven't I married you yet? Officially dragged you in front of a preacher or the Captain? After Bellamy's been rent limb from limb, I think that we should celebrate."

It was an impulse. She didn't know what possessed her to let it come tumbling out of her mouth. But it was out now, and she really did mean it, so no point in taking it back.

His eyebrows shot up. "M-mar-marry me? What happened to 'I don't trust marriage' and 'commitment is more sacred than contracts'? I mean... eh... sure, if that's what you wanna do... uh... I'm fuckin' this up ain't I?"

Worry creased his forehead, and color stained his cheeks. He'd not been surprised when they had first talked about it, though it had hurt a little. Tom-san and Kokoro's marriage had not been recognized by the government because of their Fish heritage back then, meaning that they'd never been able to fully, legally adopt either Franky or Iceburg, but he had shoved his own feelings about it aside because he'd long before decided that Robin was the one he wanted to be with. If she didn't want to get married, he was willing to sacrifice that for her as long as she let him treat her like his wife anyway, which she did.

"No, dear, I know what you mean," She assured with another giggle and a kiss. "As for what happened to it? I don't know. Perhaps it has something to do with my deep desires to say 'get your filthy eyes off my husband' which I cannot technically, legally say. And you know how I am about the technicalities. That and…” She flushed a little, “...Zoro got me thinking about it."

"Zoro did?" He let his hand trail along her spine, stopping just north of being suggestive while still teasing. She always understood what he meant, even when he didn't sometimes.

"Yes. He gets frustrated sometimes, with his jealousy. He feels he doesn't have the right to get jealous sometimes because it's not legally permanent between him and Sanji. And he's got this pathological fear Sanji will find someone better someday," she wriggled slightly in his hold, teasing back.

"Well, I can see how you'd feel the same." He rolled his shoulders, making the metal joints crack as though they were flesh and blood, and consequently making the muscles of his exposed chest ripple. "Who wouldn't want a super body like this?" He grinned, smugly, but just as quickly, pulled her tight against him, "That's why I leave whole islands full of broken hearts, cuz not a one of 'em can compare ta you."

"Quick save," she purred teasingly as she snuggled up to his chest. Arms bloomed around him to hold her steady as she sighed deeply. "And that's my man. My Franky."

"Always yers, babe." He brought his mouth to hers again, ending the conversation.

Back inside the room where Usopp had hardly been left alone the entire time he’d been laid up at the All-Blue, the captain and his sniper were oddly quiet. Both felt the weight of how the others in their crew had deliberately toned down their interactions with their partners for the sake of the two that were missing. As soon as they were alone, the two dark-haired men, both carrying a burden neither one could share but both understood, met eyes and all attempt at frivolity fell away. Luffy tucked his hat down to shade his face, and Usopp turned to watch the gulls outside the porthole.

“Say, Luffy…” The sniper began.

“Ah?”

“Kaya… Kaya would never leave forever. Guess I’m lucky that way. She might get mad at me. Say things she didn’t mean, but eventually, sooner or later, she’d come back. Thing is, she can’t stand to be away from me. She hates that she can’t because for a good long time, it meant that she couldn’t stand to be with me either. I was always doing stuff that that drove her crazy. She’d yell and scream and throw things, but that was the best part. I knew she never was really angry, because she’d always end every argument the same, with tears. People…” He had to stop for a moment, and take a deep breath. “People who hate someone don’t care if there’s tears. In fact, they expect it. They seek a person out specifically to cause those tears, but someone who loves you… they cry when they’re angry because they don’t want to be angry.”

The Pirate King was quiet for a while, then he padded over to sit against the bed, his back leaning on the frame at Usopp’s hip where he sat on the floor with his arms resting on his drawn up knees.

“Hm.”

“I really am the luckiest guy in the world. I wish everybody could be as lucky as me.” The sniper’s voice was wistful.

Luffy put his chin on his crossed arms, “Yeah.”

They still didn’t look at each other, keeping to their own thoughts for a while. The sea gull got bored and with a soft cry flew off. The sun climbed higher into the sky, and though there was no sign from any of the other crew, neither brunet needed it. The silence between them spoke volumes about the depth of their bond as Nakama.

“You’ll make a great dad, Luffy.”

There was a longer pause this time, because being frank wasn’t something that happened often with the long-nosed man from the East Blue, but eventually, the captain’s head rolled to press his cheek against his bicep, bringing the burning ember of determination within his eye around to catch the steady, steel-hard gaze from the sharpshooter. That corner of his mouth turned up, and he used a finger to tip up the brim of his hat, the same way his older brother used to do when he was showing off. This time when he spoke, the single syllable carried the full brunt of the Pirate King’s Will.

“Yosh!”

 


	10. Just How Deep Does the Rabbit Hole Go?

"Hm."

His eyes skimmed the letter for what had to be the fourth or fifth time. His dark brows were knitted together and a tension trembled just barely visible along his jawline as the only signs that something was amiss. Otherwise, his somewhat lanky form was relaxed in the chair at his desk within their cabin aboard the Flying Pan. One hand twirled a pen, letting the feathers brush the back, though he downright refused to admit that it was because he missed the feeling of those soft brush-like touches against his skin.

In the bed behind him, a much bulkier figure rose and stretched, spine and joints popping. A pale white, black-nailed hand raked fiery locks out of a rugged, craggy face, wine-red eyes flickering open as that hulking form slid from the bed and came over to the desk, draping itself over the slimmer man. His single hand slid over the other captain's shoulder, thumb rubbing at his neck as his deep rumble of a voice forced its gravelly way out of his chest.

"Oi. Yer givin' off the Surgeon of Death vibes. What's got'cha in such a bad mood firs' thin' in th' mornin', eh?"

"It appears Luffy-ya has discovered something troubling." Imperceptibly leaning into the touch, the brunet adjusted the letter so that his co-captain and lover could read the neatly printed writing from the head chef of the All-Blue. "Someone who dared still breathe after he was punished is daring further by being disrespectful enough to fly a flag that should have remained retired."

Garnet eyes skimmed it at first, then backtracked and re-read it once, twice, three times, the wide mouth that so easily stretched into a smile frowning deeper and deeper with each reading. "...well fuck. One'a the old man's toys managed to live past bein' broken. I thought after th' business with Moria yer dad got better at cleanin' up his messes. I can't even remember this lil' shitfuck. But th' cook ain't one fer false alarms." He was quiet for a second, then sighed deeply. "...I'll get m' goggles."

His goggles, iconic and treasured as they were, had in these more peaceful times ceased to be necessary. They protected his eyes and nose while welding tiny bits, but after Luffy became king and they flew beneath his flag, things had been... nice. Peaceful, except when smallfry were spoiling for a fight. So, his goggles had moved from his forehead to his neck, then to a pocket, and finally into a drawer. There they had stayed these past years. He didn't need them anymore. But now… now he did. Damn it all.

He'd need to get out his mechanical battle-arm, overhaul and fine-tune the thing too. Fuck. He'd retired that thing; he was going to practically have to rebuild it from scratch. The magnetism master frowned, losing himself for a moment in mentally re-working the schematics. The sound of his lover’s voice drew his attention back to the slender man.

"He was something that was supposed to have been crushed before the Joker met Luffy-ya in person." The smaller of the two placed both the letter and the pen he'd been playing with on the desk and stood to gather his coat and hat. "I will inform the crew to set a course for Raftel. The Strawhats will have what you need I'm sure."

He, too, was irritated that the peace among the Pirates, however unlikely it was, was being disrupted. With no World Government controlling things, the three factions of the world had reached a mutual understanding of avoidance and tolerance. As long as people didn't do nonsense like this, everybody at least put up with each other without resorting to powers and weapons. Most of the big name Pirates looked to Luffy as the king, following his example for how to treat others, and almost all of them had a territory that was theirs to control and protect. Being a rowdy bunch things weren't always exactly what the surgeon would call tranquil but it had been peace in some sense. It had been relaxing, and enjoyable being able to simply concentrate on his studies without worrying about being chased by Marines. It allowed him to devote time to research things that would ordinarily have been considered trivial, even weak.

Beyond all of that though, how dare that peon fly that flag! Though Don had never been his father exactly, he had been as good as one. Especially after Cora… Law felt his heart clench at the thought of how they’d been betrayed. Even to this day the name Vergo was a curse on his lips, and none of the Family had ever truly been the same afterwards. He supposed that was the defining moment, when he’d returned to being obstinate and willful. The large Shichibukai had tried so terribly hard to impress on him that he was the man's son, but the eventual Surgeon of Death had flat out refused so many times that it became a joke between them. It showed how much he cared, however, in situations like this. Even if Luffy and the Strawhats for some reason managed to be defeated by the smallfry who dared show his face again, Trafalgar Law made the silent vow that he would put an end to the man's disrespect for good. He planned to make an example of the idiot if the king let him.

The brunet's eyes darkened for a moment. Then he donned his coat and picked up the pen again. A short message to the cook about their intentions and a request for Franky to bring his best tools. If his lover had to go into battle with that thing on his body, then he was going to have the best damned thing the maniac could create. To do that, the doctor knew he'd need access to the top of the line equipment, and no one either on the Grand Line or in any of the surrounding Blues was better at what he did than the cyborg. He finished the letter with a flourish and called their messenger bird.

"Come, we have preparations to make." He said shortly, belying his fury.

Eustass ‘Captain’ Kidd dug his fingers into his hair again; reaching for what Law had lovingly termed his 'civilian arm'. He'd—and he would never admit it to anyone out loud—he'd made it just for Law. It was the same size as his flesh-and-blood arm, and it contained no weapons or mechanisms outside of a rope. He'd even talked his beloved into developing a synthetic skin to cover it with, in a strange sort of thoughtfulness so that it gave the illusion of being the one he’d lost. He knew Law hated the cold metal, how he often felt bad for not being there to put the real one back on. Though the genius doctor had been on a different track then, working to become a Shichibukai, and hadn’t had time or inclination to be involved with his fellow Supernova. So, to waylay the sometimes not-so-carefully-hidden guilt, Kidd had gone out of his way to replicate the missing limb. It was his masterpiece in an attempt to make the man he loved forget that perceived failing, and a gift, to celebrate their coming together after Luffy was made Pirate King.

Kidd forced the prosthetic into its socket, gritting his teeth as the nerves connected. Mother fuck he never got used to the way it hurt. He breathed out deeply and flexed the fingers a few times.

"I know. I'll have Killer an' Heat bring out the old arm. I'll need it for blueprints... an' I had some pretty good daggers and shit in there when I decommissioned it, I think." He leaned down and kissed his lover's cheek, both thumbs gently kneading at the back of the doctor's neck. "If there's anything left of the shit when we get there, I'm sure they'll let you cut 'im inta a million bits. Though that sniper guy gets first dibs, I'm sure."

"The peon should consider himself lucky if the Strawhats find him first." Law’s unspoken threat hung in the air like a promise of things to come.

Lord, he hadn't been this angry in years. Just the idea of the man's audacity had him ready to dismember something. It surprised him a bit, and he took the kiss as a good excuse to try and refocus on other things. He turned to look up at the redhead.

"Do you suppose that we should contact Crocodile?" It translated more into, 'should I be gracious enough to let my father's lover have a shot at the fucker' but only those that knew him best, like Kidd, could tell.

Kidd paused. "...we probably should. But, um... I know you think it's a crazy superstition, but... can you let me...?"

The end of that sentence was 'consult my coat'. It sounded crazy, and stupid, even Kidd knew that. But Doflamingo had always sworn up and down that certain clothing items, like his feathered coat and Kidd's furred one, could detect certain waves in the air, in the sea, and alert their wearers. It helped alert them to danger, nearby enemies or allies, etc. Kidd had been sold when, well, his fur had been rubbed all the wrong way, literally. On a bit of a whim, he'd gone looking for Law, and found him surrounded by women pawing at him like he was a piece of meat with only his pride keeping the black-haired man from calling for help. Damn Amazons. Kidd had then put as much stock by his fur as Don ever did by his feathers.

He was hoping his coat wouldn't steer him wrong this time either.

Finally, after what had felt like forever that morning, Law cracked a sardonic smile. "Of course. I wouldn't want you to do anything without it. You always feel so off balance without its advice."

Though he never said as much, that was the reason he loved his psychopath as much as he did. Just a little touch of the place the surgeon thought of as home no matter where they were on the oceans. Of course, that touch of home also gave him fodder to use in teasing his lover the way he’d teased his fathers.

Kidd laid another kiss on him before going into the very back of their closet and pulling out the maroon fur-and-spike-coat, slipping into it and settling it on his shoulders with the familiar twitch. And when it slid into place, so did another thing—the old, familiar, bloodlust. He’d had eased out of it gradually over the years of relative peace. But that coat brought him back to the core of who, and what, he really was.

He was Eustass fucking "Captain" Kidd. Before the fall of the World Government he had the highest-bounty ever recorded. Only Fire-Fist Ace had been higher, and well… a Pirate’s bounty didn’t carry over once he was dead. He was a menace to every place that held any metal of any kind. An animal that walked on two legs, and caused so much collateral damage he put the D brothers to shame. He just stood a moment, eyes closed, stroking his fur. Relishing the sensation of donning his identity again, and deliberately ignoring the amusement dancing in his partner’s eyes.

"...Trafalgar? Remember how I told you sometimes my coat gives me a distinct message rather than a vague feelin'?"

"Yes." The brunette waited patiently, gently stroking the brim of his hat, the corners of his mouth curled into his famous smirk.

"We have two messages. First, I quote, 'It is holy motherfucking shit time'. Haven't heard that since the Great War. An' th' other is...'it's taken care of'." The redhead grinned ferally at his lover. "Well, looks like Crocodile must either already know, or he's going to right fuckin' soon."

"Ah. In that case," Law donned his hat, and a light came to his eye that he, too, had been missing for a while, a sadistic shine that left no doubt as to why he was the Surgeon of Death. "We had best make haste, or your coat won't forgive us for missing out on the action."

Kidd swept him up in both arms, up to that strong chest that soon would have a belt of fighting daggers strung across it like a bandolier.

"Mmm. Yeah. An' mebbe we'll have a little of our other kinna action on the way? I'll make Heat light up the engine," the big man purred darkly.

Their combined crews and ship had been, because the fire-haired captain couldn't stand to be idle long, outfitted with a massive engine so they didn't have to rely on the winds and current to get where they wanted to go, and fast. But it still took a while to get started, which meant plenty of time for plundering along the way.

A flick of the slender man’s wrist had his hand hidden between them and running along his lover's belt line. "Well, now, we can't miss out on that sort of action either, can we?"

"Fuck no," Kidd growled. "So let's get to it, Doktorr."

With that, of its own volition, the door slammed shut and locked itself. Later he’d send a message via the internal tubes to Heat with orders to fire up the engine and make for Raftel, but for now... the Doctor was in, and the Captain intended to cause a bit of 'collateral damage'.

Half a world away, the yellow-eyed falcon Zoro had released flew exactly where it had been directed, screeching its arrival. The Green-Food-With-Legs had been right to choose the toughest; its message had nearly been intercepted multiple times on the long journey. The falcon had fought off them all, and fed well.

A great golden perch was extended to it, and it caught on firmly with its claws. It had no fear of this one, though the Scaly-On-Legs was dangerous, because they were familiar. He’d been the falcon’s previous owner, and though it could fly anywhere, for Green-Food-With-Legs, this was the only place it went.

"Must be important if they sent you," Scaly-On-Legs' voice rumbled like an earthquake as a dexterous hand untied the message on the falcon's leg and unrolled it, holding it down with hook and hand on the desk to read.

However, as the man this particular letter had been sent to read the message, one word at a time to take in the full implications, the ground truly began to tremble. By the time he got to the last word, the entire island was shaking violently, the ground roiling and spiking with infuriated waves.

Its mission completed for the moment the messenger perched on the windowsill above the desk. The falcon tucked its head under its wing and waited, nonplussed by the violence around it. Green-Food-With-Legs had warned of this. It had only to wait and Scaly-On-Legs would send it back with a reply.

From the modest, comfortable house came an explosion of sound and matter, bursting through the door and all but one of the windows, with such violence glass shattered and wood splintered right off its hinges. An unearthly howl echoed across the sea, making people five islands off shudder and hide. The demonic sound that was so frightening held at once fury, pain, grief, and an unholy bloodlust, a desire to maim, bleed, to rend limb from limb and scour in acid, to skin alive and rub with salt. That scream promised unending torture for which death would be a sweet, blessed relief.

Through it all, the falcon waited.

It took some time for the man to regain control of himself and stop rampaging about the small island that was his home. Very little was left standing now: all that remained was his house and a single oasis in the center of the land. When he had wrestled his emotions back into control, he returned to the desk beneath the only intact window, and the falcon. It stirred with a bored eye as he snatched up a long-feather quill and penned the fastest note he ever had. The kanji were sharp, made with knife-like slashes of the pen, and was remarkably short. A scattering of sand from his hand to dry the ink and it was tied to the falcon's leg for a return trip.

The bird was glad to hop back onto the golden perch and be carried outside. More battles and better eating was in his future, and after that, a long rest with the other messengers. He spread his wings the moment they got out of the door, and when the thick perch flung him into the air he set off on his journey home with a high screech of thanks for the lift.

 


	11. Smile! The Cat's Out of the Bag!

Beyond a great door that used to be a symbol of oppression and prejudice that struck terror into the hearts of most men, the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, tall, imposing, and terrifyingly strong, sat behind his desk shuffling through reports: this island had that trouble, that fleet was scheduled to be deployed there, and other minutia of the day to day life that was what was left of the world's biggest military organization.

He raised a hand to his chin, pulling gently on the pale pink braid that was just long enough to cross his palm. Most of what he was looking at simply needed his approval. A signature along the bottom noting that he’d read it, but then something tucked behind most of the massive stack of paperwork caught his eye.

“The All-Blue, huh? I wonder what they’re up to this time.” Releasing his beard, Coby opened the envelope and had to read the missive twice. His eyes went wide, “Helmeppo!”

The blond Admiral threw the door open, his sunglasses perched on the top of his head for once. “What?”

“Ready the fleet.”

“WHAT?!”

“Sanji-san has just informed me that the Bellamy Pirates have revealed themselves. They cannot remain unpunished.” The Fleet Admiral rose to his feet and pulled his coat around his shoulders. “Several members of that crew escaped judgment at the end of the Great War, and now that they have acted out once again, it is time we put an end to them.”

“B-but isn’t that the Pirates job now? Part of the agreement to allow us to take back Marineford was that anything that happened from here to Raftel was under their jurisdiction.” Though he didn’t look or sound it at the moment, the Admiral really was one of the most powerful men in the military.

The slightly shorter man sighed, “Yes, we did, but among that crew is one Marine deserter named Fullbody. He has a death grudge against Sanji-san, made worse by the actions Luffy-san and company made during the Great War. The scuttlebutt is his lover was killed in action, but that’s beside the point. Before then he had been a lieutenant and was given a second chance after a disgraceful incident regarding the Baratie. However, when the World Government fell, he fled the scene.” The pink-haired Fleet Admiral’s eyes grew hard, “We’re going to catch that deserter and show him why he was a fool for allowing pride to cloud his judgment so horribly.”

Helmeppo nodded, still nervous. “Aye, aye, Sir.”

“Dismissed.” Coby bent over his desk for a moment, retrieving the message and jotting down a quick note to respond to the chef. “Now if only we could get the damned mushi back up and running, I could actually take a day off and visit them.”

He sighed, rubbing his temple, then turned on his heel with the letter in hand and left his office, making a mental note to check in with the researchers in what was left of Dr. Vegapunk’s lab. If anyone knew how to fix the snail-like communications system, they would, or if they didn’t, they’d find out.

As it always seemed to be, when the Marines and Pirates knew something, so did the third ruling power. Though there was nothing to be 'revolutionary' about anymore, the name stuck with those who had followed Monkey D. Dragon against the World Government during the Great War and all of the conflicts leading up to it. So, with their headquarters having taken over Mariejois, now renamed Ryuunosu, the Revolutionaries controlled the Red Line. Their primary goal these days was to eradicate lingering traces of the previous government's corruption and prejudices. Consequentially, what had once been a primarily military movement, now focused on education and information, though not without a significant peacekeeping force.

Thus, word of the conflict brewing within the ranks of the Pirates came flying into Ryuunosu on the wings of a messenger bird. Uncertain who it should deliver its letter to, the hawk landed on the first friendly arm it found, a young boy, barely out of childhood. He took the rolled up envelope and scanned the front, giving a startled shout that scared the bird. Then, before the avian could get a second grip on him, the boy took off running towards the main building complex.

"President Dragon! President Dragon!!" He shouted bursting through doors, and past people.

Answering reprimands of "Hey! Watch it! Look where you're going!" followed him as he tore through the capital city.

“Sorry!" He called, looking over his shoulder, and as such didn't see the wall of man that he crashed into until his nose was meeting solid muscle. He bounced off, landing on his rear end, hands flailing for a moment. Then he looked up, in awe and a bit scared, "President Sir!"

Dragon, a tall, intimidating man, still had the diamond tattoos on his face that made him look even more fierce than his long black cloak and generally forbidding expression did. However, since achieving his primary goal, he tended to smile a bit more, and it was then the D relation was obvious. They all had the same all-consuming smile as Gol D. Roger, and that smile made an appearance as a heavy hand reached out and picked up the boy by his collar, setting him back on his feet.

"Hello to you, child. Were you looking for me?"

"Y-yes, sir! A letter! From the Fleet Admiral." He held it up, rubbing his behind a bit. "Was just delivered a moment ago."

"Mm, I see."

The smile disappeared just as abruptly as it had appeared, and he took the letter and opened it up to read. His son's Nakama was under attack, hm? He'd notify all troops. They'd need to be sure to stay far out of his way, in the process of destroying the enemy Luffy sometimes caught allies and innocent bystanders and dragged them into the fighting. They'd have to be sure to try and avoid that… maybe have Sabo and Koala relocate the civilians north of Reverse Mountain, Hack could probably oversee the mobilization of people as well—his mind was pulled from the preparations he needed to think about by seeing 'P.S.' at the bottom of the sheet. Blinking, he trailed down to the post script—

His eyes went wide just half a second before his knees buckled, and he crashed to the floor in a dead faint, the letter fluttering on top of his chest to display the elegant script.

"S-sir?" The boy blinked a few times, "A-are you alright?"

He looked down at the missive and had to blink several more times at the precise lettering, 'It also appears that you're going to be a grandfather. Sanji-san mentioned Nami-san is pregnant in his letter to me. Congratulations.'

King Cobra of Alabasta stumbled into the hallway just then. He and his daughter had arrived to speak about rebuilding the Ohara Library. It was yet another of the great tragedies committed under the reign of the previous government that the Revolutionaries were fighting to correct. Upon discovering the president’s senseless form and the bewildered boy, he took several purposeful strides towards the pair, intent on discovering what had happened. His eyes landed on the page in the boy’s hand, and with a curious expression on his face, he leant down to scoop up the missive.

"What is... oh my. Nami? Pregnant? But- but- but, how, if she's married to—oh my. The Pirate Queen is pregnant. The Pirate King has an heir! VIVI! VIVI, I HAVE GREAT NEWS!"

He went running to find his daughter in an entirely unbecoming display of unbridled joy to share the good news, never suspecting anything amiss. If anyone could perform a miracle, it was his firm belief the Strawhat crew could do it. He didn't realize that the walls, even here, had ears, and this information could be harmful to the Pirates who had saved his kingdom.

In the shadows, on the opposite side of the wall where the free-spirited monarch had just rushed by a cloaked figure with a hard cast to her features adjusted the set of her wire-rimmed glasses. She had to play this information carefully. The superior she told first had to believe that she was firmly working on his side, but without giving away too much information so as to undermine her true leader. In a small fountain of bubbles the slender woman literally slipped away from the wall. When she approached a certain door, far in the dark recesses of the governmental palace, she twisted a special key given to her by one master to help in deceiving the other. It was designed with technology that was similar to her co-worker's devil fruit power, and only the ones he trusted could use it. So, opening the door, she stepped through that non-world to exit from her personal cabin on a ship that was the best of Thriller Bark and the worst of Sexy Foxy. This master called it the Mad Hatter, and the woman had to admit, it was a fitting name for all the twists and turns that led absolutely nowhere.

Striding quickly through the corridors for the 'tea room', an audience chamber where the crew met with their captain, styled to look like a large dining table where tea and other hot beverages were constantly available. Though some of the concoctions offered were both disturbing and not particularly safe. Luck of the draw appeared to be one of the captain's favorite games these days. She shuddered minutely, displacing the movement with a couple of well-placed bubbles.

"Bellamy-senchou, I bring news from Ryuunosu." She spoke clearly, her heels clacking on the tile floor.

The Hyena's eyes sparkled dementedly as he let his chair thump to the floor, the bright pink shirt he still wore, painful on the eyes as he turned that feral, frightening grin on his newest, and most amusing, spy-tool.

"Ohh yeeeeahhhh? Well doooo tell," he sing-songed, slamming a fist on the table and making the china rattle, swiping one before it hit the saucer and downing it. Hmm. Twice-brewed coffee and a dash of cleaning solution, not half bad. Better than the used dishwater he'd gotten last time.

"It appears that the Pirate Queen is expecting. I'm sure you know as well as I what that must mean, seeing as how the 'King'," She used an emphasis on the word to sound derisive, "is like yourself, a Devil Fruit User, and she is not."

The evil way his mouth spread impossibly wider was uncomfortably like the man whose flag he still flew, and he crooned, leaning back in his hair with a snicker. "Ooohhh, yes I indeed doooooo. My… my my my… someone has been a nauuuughhtyyyy little sssslut~! And that's just to my advantage, mmm yes it issssss. A suitable man from the crew to claim fathership should dooooo the trick! Get them alllll fightin' against each other. Divide and Conquer, juuuuust like Doflamingo-sama."

He stroked his pink shirt with a sort of lingering reverence for the man. He couldn't hate him. His training, his breaking, had been much too thorough. Lost in his own twisted thoughts for a few moments, he leaned back, tipping the chair up on two legs, petting his shirt. Then, suddenly, he slammed forward again, the chair banging the floor with a resounding echo.

"Any worrrrrrd on the longnose? After all, his wife's been suuuuuch a delight." He grinned at one of the seats across from him, where the woman had been forced into a dress and seated in the place reserved for 'Alice', hands and legs bound to the chair and metal across her mouth to keep her from speaking.

"Not from Ryuunosu exactly, though the whisper down the line is that the Strawhats are gathering from across the globe. Dragon discovered the pregnancy from a missive he received from the Fleet Admiral, which leads me to believe that they plan to strike back. Whether that means the sniper survived, or not, is uncertain." Her answers were short and concise, even a bit cold, but then, that was her appearance. "Shall I inform the others?"

He giggled in a sort of hysterical manner. "Ohhhhh yes, doooo~! Their reactions will be mmmmmost amuuuusingggg! Yehahahahahaha!!"

He swiped one of the 'eat me' biscuits and munched on it carelessly, still giggling uncontrollably. It would be fun if the sniper survived, and fun if he died too, so he didn't care either way, that wasn't the important part. The pertinent information, he already knew!

"I'll be on my way then." She bowed, the light shining across her glasses, then turned on her heel and left the room again, withdrawing her special key.

This trip would take longer and be more informative, so she made certain to actually lock her cabin door before stepping through Blueno's corridor again. Exiting the other side brought her out of a cabin into bright, warm, sunshine somewhere between Marineford and Alabasta. She didn't know exactly where, and didn't want to. That way the information couldn't be extracted from her. She took a moment to compose herself before stepping between lines of hanging laundry.

"Lucci." She called, knowing they were the only inhabitants of the island.

Instantly, like a demon of legend, he appeared before her, sharp eyes glancing all around. "Kalifa."

His hair was wild, still growing back after being chopped short, but his familiar beard was back, trimmed neat and close to his skin. However, his hat was missing. Probably because he was running himself wild trying to keep Nami both entertained and fed. Her cravings were getting harder to fill, even with the use of Blueno's door, at this stage of the pregnancy.

The soap woman adjusted her glasses, again the light glinting off the lenses, her jaw hard, "He knows."

 


	12. Strawhats Outgrabe! The Jub Jub Bird's Despicable Song!

Soon, a small, one-man craft docked outside the All-Blue. Ordinarily, such an occurrence was common place, people from all over came at all hours to sample the best fish in the Four Blues and the Grand Line combined. However, this ship bore a specific person, though he had disguised himself well, hunched over with fake sorrow, his light purple hair dyed black, and gloves for his hands to cover the screws in his knuckles. He was dressed in a striped shirt and ragged pants that he stole from the original owner of the vessel, now well on his way to Davy Jones' Locker somewhere fifty kliks due West by the log pose from the not-so-stranger's current location. His boots were his own, and the Marines ballcap was worn backwards.

Upon entering the restaurant, he removed it, twisting it in his hands in a show of nerves. "E-excuse me," He asked the first person to cross his path, "I heard the Pirate King was here?"

The fire-haired young sous-chef was a spitting image of the chef himself, though they were in no way related, from the lanky, toned muscles all the way to the swirled edges of his eyebrows. The only differences were a certain flame-like quality to his red hair, even the curls of his eyebrows were more fire than curlicue, and he kept the strands short and spiky, revealing phosphorus green eyes.

At that moment, a calculating light burned in the viridian orbs, as he eyed the man, but Boss's orders were clear: if they weren't making trouble, they were allowed. "...You'd hafta talk ta th' boss. Just a min." He crossed to the door marked ‘Private’. “Oi! Old Man! There’s a creep out here.”

“Flambé! What have I told you about customers!? AND I AM NOT AN OLD MAN!!” The bellowed response was accompanied by the sound of marching dress shoes.

Poking his head out of the kitchen, Sanji scanned the dining room, lovingly irritated at his sous-chef. The man at the bar wasn't exactly out of place but something about the scar on his cheek kept drawing the blonde's attention. Then he saw Flambé standing next to him, having returned as soon as his message was delivered, and frowned a bit. Just as the lanky redhead turned to call for him a second time, the head chef crossed the dining room.

"Welcome to the All-Blue. Can I help you, sir?"

There he was, there stood the cause of all his trouble and misery, and for a moment within the gloves the stranger’s fingers twitched with want to take those pretty fucking hands and break every bone. But—but no, no. He had to wait. The final revenge would be all that and so much more.

He forced his voice to remain meek. "Um, yes, I h-had heard the, er, the Pirate King... was here...?"

The owner of the All-Blue frowned lightly, his eyes narrowing. "What business do you have with him?"

Yeah, that's it. Come closer to the bait... "I-it's about… um… his... h-his... wife. I er… h-heard a rumor... and..." The stranger twisted the cap some more, affecting nervousness with a touch of fear. He needed the fucking pile of shit to take the goddamn bait.

Sanji's eyes narrowed further. "Whatever you heard is false. I can guarantee it, but for the sake of argument, what drivel is circling among the riffraff these days?"

Yes! Now he just needed to hook the bastard and the trap would be all set, just like Bellamy said. The former marine in disguise let his voice drop as if he was frightened of what the reaction would be, though it was difficult to keep the sneer off of his face. Ha, like he gave a shit what these insignificant sons of bitches who ran with the man who ruined his fucking life thought!

"Well, um, y-you see... that is... rumor is she's pregnant. An-and I... I came to... t-take responsibility."

The notepad of a waiter walking past caught fire spontaneously. "I see. One moment."

The head chef spun on his heel and left before he said anything else, striding through the door marked 'Private' next to the swinging doors of the kitchen itself. Addressing the assembled Strawhats, Sanji took a moment to compose himself by lighting a very much needed cigarette.

"There is a man in my dining room..."

Zoro gave him a look. "Aren't there supposed to be people in your dining room?"

His voice was sarcastic, but as he took in how tense his lover’s shoulders suddenly were, he abruptly realized this man, whoever he was, wasn't someone Sanji wanted in his dining room.

"...should I feed 'im to the sea kings?"

It took several more drags on his cigarette and the unconscious, not so subtle, leaning in from the crew, before the cook could answer. "He claims to be the father of Nami-swan's baby."

Luffy was on his feet in an instant. His hat was low, and he cracked his knuckles. Though unsteady on his feet, Usopp followed their captain, not more than a pace behind. There was a moment of hesitation, Franky reached out but stopped his hand before he touched the captain. Sanji contemplated continuing to stand in the way, but after a few long, agonizing seconds, he stepped to the side with the very real acknowledgement that if he hadn’t and the Pirate King wanted him to move, he'd be moved. Judging by the shine beginning to form along the rubber man's skin, rather violently, too.

Outside, Fullbody pursed his lips and wrung his cap again, this time from very real agitation under the watchful gaze of the sous-chef. Wait for it, he reminded himself. The line is set and the bait is wiggling, gotta be patient. He'll take the bait, and when he does...

Wait. Was that—shit, was that steam coming out of the room the fucker had gone into? Suddenly, Fullbody wasn't acting his nervousness anymore, because abruptly it really didn't seem like such a good idea to lie to the Pirate King's face about fucking his wife. Gulping, he forced himself to stay, trembling just a little.

The door burst open in a fit of Haki that left the knob and frame quite damaged. Franky inwardly winced, knowing he'd have to fix it and anything else that would come out of this conversation, if it could even be called that. The steam from Luffy's anger rolled out like the monstrous fog of the Florian Triangle, clouding the windows and significantly darkening the dining room. For a few tense moments nothing happened, but then they were on the move, striding in formation, the infamous Strawhats. They may have been missing a third of their crew but it wasn't something that seemed to significantly affect the terror they inspired. Flambé, having been keep an eye on the man at the bar without needing to be told, specifically because his head chef hadn't said to, shrieked like a little girl and ran, knees and elbows flying, for the safety of the kitchen.

Luffy marched straight up to the disguised former Marine, tilted his head to look down on the man and his neck cracked, "You said you wanted to talk to me."

Fullbody released a squeak and cowered down. Oh God, how could he have forgotten the sheer power and aura the Pirate King produced?! It was definitely no longer acting as he clung to this little play certain that it was the only thing that would keep him alive. "W-we-well, s-sir, your, um, your l-love wife, s-sh-she… um, w-word is sh-she's pregnant. I-is she?"

"What of it? The One Piece doesn't get handed down like a crown. So why do you care if she is?"

The shadows and the angle from which the man was resolutely not whimpering made the Pirate King's eyes glow. There was an ominous mechanical click and the shkt of a katana being popped loose. Without turning, Luffy knew that Sanji would have his weight on his back foot, Robin had her arms crossed, and Usopp's targeting would be locked on the pathetic creature at his feet. All in all, if the man wanted to survive he'd have to come up with some very colorful and creative excuses for why, at that moment, he'd decided to come in and disrupt their strategizing.

He closed his eyes and blurted the whole spiel, too terrified to do it carefully. "SheaskedmeforhelpandIsaidokayeventhoughIknewshewasmarriedandIcametotakeresponsibility! I'm sorry! Ijustcouldn'tsaynoandIthoughtI'datleasttrytohelp I'M SORRY!" He assumed the fetal position, arms protectively over his head.

"Wha’…?" Luffy tilted his head, the steam dissipating.

The others shifted uncomfortably, sensing something was off about all of this.

"I… Nami wanted to have a baby, and she asked for my help, so I-I did, even though I knew she was married, I'm sorry, I couldn't tell her no," the worm tried not to let his voice shake too hard, knowing if he got this wrong he was mincemeat. "I only came to… to take responsibility, help out with the baby once I heard, you know, I had no idea she hadn't told you!"

Shaking like a leaf, he raised his head slightly to gauge the Pirate King’s reaction. He made his eyes big, trying to look as innocent as possible as the litany of lies spilled from his mouth.

"She... ah..." The captain turned his back on the other man, deflated. "Nami... is very hard to say no to."

Then Luffy retreated to the privacy of Sanji and Zoro's quarters. Franky and Usopp lowered their weapons, confused, while Sanji raised his visible eyebrow and lit a new cigarette. Robin was watching the man closely, with hard eyes. Something about this wasn't right, and it was really rubbing her the wrong way. Zoro downright glared. He wasn't going to say anything, yet. No airing the crew's dirty laundry in front of strangers. But as far as he was concerned, this confirmed everything he'd thought when this situation first came up: Nami was a lying sea-witch, and she’d betrayed them.

"So, did she do it for him then?" The sniper's voice was quiet, and not quite directed at the newcomer.

Fullbody licked his lips and his Adam's apple bobbed nervously. "I-I really don't know. She d-didn't, um, exactly talk once I-I-I'd agreed. Guess sh-she figured I d-didn't n-need to kn-know."

"Well, if nothing else, the situation has been cleared somewhat." The cook used his smoke to articulate his sentence. "I assume you're here to trying and claim some right to the child? Or, are you implying that there was more than just you donating to Nami-san's cause?"

The disguised man shook his head frantically, waving his hands. "No! Nononono, no no, I had no relationship with the Queen! Ou-outside of the obvious, of course," he was quick to put in; like fuck he wanted to hang around with these shitstains waiting on her! "And, not to claim, but uh, if h-he doesn’t, y'know, want the kid... which is w-what the rumor is... I was g-gonna help Nami. Y'know, since it's kinda m-my 'help' that um, st-started this?"

"Well, the rumor is wrong." Usopp jumped in, hobbling forward on his crutches. After all, lying was his specialty and this nobody had no need to know that there were troubles between the captain and his navigator. "Any child of Nami's is a child of the Strawhats, regardless where she got him or her. So, you just go back to wherever you heard that and tell them that the next scumbag that says otherwise will have Captain Usopp and his eight thousand subordinates to deal with!"

Fullbody nodded and bolted, but the moment he was on his ship and shoved off from the All Blue, he dropped his act with a vicious smirk. Hook, Line, and Sinker. Now if Bellamy was right, they'd destroy themselves from the inside and taking them out one by one was going to be easier than crushing a baby bird beneath his boots.

From within the quarters behind the crew there came the loud bang of a door being forcibly closed. Usopp winced, then groaned in pain at the wince, leaning more heavily on his crutch. His tibia was fine, but his femur on the other side was still too weak to walk on unaided and the way the crutches rested under his arms made the fracture in his left arm ache if he leaned on it too much. On the upside, his nose and hand were back to almost absolute normal.

Franky was quick to support the smaller man, but at the same time he frowned back at the damaged door. "What do you suppose he's up to in there?"

Sanji rolled his eyes, deliberately using his latest cigarette to keep himself from spontaneously combusting anything else in the vicinity. "If I know our captain he's probably destroying one of my rooms again."

Robin was disturbingly silent. And she remained just that way as she slowly walked outside, to the railing, where a line of hands brought her the white hat she had left behind. No more Robin. No more ‘Bobby’. The situation had become too bad. It was time to bring out the demon, to sink into it, and stay that way.

A deep, rumbling growl came out of Zoro. "I knew it. It's proof. I knew she was a liar!"

His whole body was tight and humming with killing intent. His eye glittered with murderous rage—for who, it was difficult to tell. His nostrils flared, and with a long, low snarl like an angry tiger, he turned on his heel and stalked off to his training room to take out his fury in a constructive way.

"O-oi! Marimo! What do you mean she's a liar!? OI! SHITHEAD! DON'T IGNORE ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!!" Sanji stormed after his lover, the cancer stick between his teeth giving him the appearance of a dragon blowing smoke through his nostrils.

Franky and Usopp watched them go, then the cyborg broke the silence that followed. "Let's get ya someplace ta rest, Soge-bro. Yer startin' ta look like Pandaman."

For once, the sniper merely nodded, exhausted by the excitement.

"Oi, Flame-boy." The large man called for Sanji's sous chef.

When the lanky redhead appeared, he nodded and escorted the two of them to a separate private room. One that was set up ordinarily for small gatherings, but could be turned into an infirmary at a moment's notice if the space wasn't occupied. It was where Chopper stayed when he was on board, so the sheets were fresh and the bed was soft. Usopp was out like a light the moment his head hit the pillow. Then Flambé gestured for the shipwright to follow him back to the bar.

"You look like you could use a drink, Aniki." The young man poured him a tall, ice cold, cola, which earned a bright smile across his face.

"Thanks, kid!" Franky knocked it back, and gratefully slammed the thick glass down for a second one. He figured with new information to process, he'd give Robin a bit of space.

 


	13. Beware! The Great Divide!

In his training room, Zoro whirled on his lover. "Look, cook, I know you hate to think bad of the girls, but I've known from the fucking start she was a liar! She's a sea-witch! All tricks and flair and lies! She lied to Luffy! The baby isn't his and she got it for her own selfish wishes without even discussing it with him!"

His muscles bulged and bunched under his shirt and he threw the article of clothing aside, going straight to his heaviest weights.

"She hurt him, Sanji! And she didn't even do it for a good reason! You know he would've given her anything if she's just fucking asked first!"

"How do you know she didn't just want to do it for him!?" Sanji flailed his arms. "That was just some whacknut in a fucked up dye job! I could smell the fucking lanolin he used to set the color from across the room! We don't even know who the Hell he was! You're gonna take his word as proof against your Nakama!? What the fucking Hell, shitty mosshead!?"

Zoro gritted his teeth. "Fuck, cook, if I was in his position I'd hide my fucking identity too! He said it was Nami's idea, and didn't you see Luffy's reaction?! He knows her better than any of us, and this seemed like something she'd do to him! It's just the proof of what I've known all along, and yes, she's Nakama and I appreciate her as my Nakama, but I've always known she wasn't to be trusted! She'd do most anything for her goals, including betray her Nakama, as long as it didn't cross her invisible line! She did it before remember!"

Taking a step forward, the blond mimicked him, "You don't think tearing his heart out is across that line?! She may have cut some rather close deals in the past, but she's never outright betrayed any of us!"

The swordsman sat up under the weight bar, snarling. "No, because as long as he's still alive, she can fix it! Make him understand, or something, and yes, she fucking has!"

"Not in cold blood. She's always had a very good reason for doing the things she's done! And it's always brought us things we need. I can't believe after all this time, and everything we've been through you still hate her so badly!" Sanji clenched his fists to either side of his body, trying not to resort to physical violence.

Zoro scrubbed his hands over his face. "I don't hate her! I just can't trust her, not fully, and you have proof! Why can't you accept it?!"

"All we have proof of is that somebody heard the rumors and came around sniffing to see if they were true. For all we know he was here to deliberately start trouble. It wouldn't be the first time, and it won't be the last. Why can't you accept that?" And yesterday had been so good.

"Because it's proof! Luffy's reaction as much as confirms it as true… cook, he sees it as something she would do! We all know how he knows people better than they do themselves sometimes!"

"I swear, Marimo, your level of sunbathing must have gone down because all you're doing is saying the same thing over and over again. It's not going to convince me that some stranger out of nowhere knows more about what's going on than we do. Where did he come from? How did he know Luffy was here? And don't you think it's a little suspicious that he shows up so terribly soon after Franky and Robin? We're a good week and a half's sail from Raftel, and that's using a Vivre Card to get here! If you come by way of Kidd's artificial pose it takes twice that!" Sanji was panting around his cigarette, the smoke coming out in harsh, round puffs.

"Yes it's fucking suspicious," Zoro snapped, eye sparking fire. "Goddamn it I wouldn't trust that asshole's word as far as I could throw the Sunny! But… but I do trust my captain. And I saw that man's words break him. Even if the man was lying, it circles back around to Nami, and Nami betrayed my captain again. Once is forgivable. Twice is unpardonable!"

Sanji couldn’t smoke fast enough to calm his temper. “So... so, what? You're just gonna sit here while she's off somewhere none of knows how to find while Chopper and Brook are still in Skypiea and we've got a brand new fuckwad flying Doflamingo's flag picking us off when we aren't looking!? It's like Robin said, if we turn our backs on her, she's as good as dead, especially with that shithead out there!"

"Goddamn it, I'm not suggesting we turn our backs on her, she's still Nakama! She's… she's just not someone I trust anymore." His voice died and calloused fingers raked through moss colored hair. Words were failing him again.

"How is that any different? How can she be Nakama if you don't trust her? And what about the baby? Even if it isn't Luffy's it's still part of our crew. We have to find her! Make her tell us what's going on if that's what makes you feel better. She obviously doesn't want anything to do with that guy, even if he is the father." Suddenly, the chef was quite tired. Drama, he found, was more exhausting than facing the entire populations of Thriller Bark, Punk Hazard and Enies Lobby combined.

Zoro's hand came down to cup the back of his neck and his arm hung down as he heaved a sigh. "She's still Nakama. I'd still give my life for hers. She'll always be Nakama. And, of course the kid's one of us. It'll be a Strawhat, born and true. Look, cook… it's like one of those stupid novels. Where you love someone, but at the same time you know the second you turn your back they'll stab it and run. You can't trust them, but you can't stop yourself from supporting them anyway. I've always been that way about Nami."

Sanji sighed as well and sank onto one of the benches lining the wall. "I just can't help the feeling that all of this is tied together. That it's all part of the same plot, and we're coming into it halfway through. It's like if we don't stick together, everything will be lost."

"Of course we're gonna fucking stick together, cook. When have we ever done anything else?"

The swordsman was exasperated now, and just a couple sentences away from devolving to one-grunt answers. He was tired. He felt like there was an invisible wall between him and the man he loved more than life itself. And it terrified him. It felt like it had back when they fought nonstop and each thought the other one hated him. He knew, in the instinctive way he knew how to hear the breath of the world, that if that invisible barrier was allowed to come back into existence, Sanji would give him up as a worthless lost cause and find someone not so contrary.

On the other side of that wall, swirling within his own mind, the cook's own doubts were starting to resurface. The things about whether he was holding his lover back, and if his dream really was pointless now that they'd sailed all the way around the world more times than he could count. So, he drew a leg up to rest his cheek against his knee, in the way only he could, and closed his eyes, trying to will the tension out of his back. He sighed for a second time, but said nothing to his lover's question. To him, it already felt like the crew was being torn limb from limb.

Zoro moved in, operating on habit and instinct, automatically reaching out for his lover, to massage the tension away. To make him more comfortable. But just millimeters before his callous-ridden fingertips touched the fine black fabric, he flinched back. He suddenly didn't feel he had the right to mess up that crisp suit with his big, clumsy hands.

His fingers curled into fists and he crossed his arms before leaning on his arms on the railing, a noticeable inch of space between his broad shoulders and his lithe lover's that hadn't been there since they first got together.

After a few heavy moments of silence, Sanji climbed to his feet. He watched the floor, lighting a new cigarette. He was chain smoking in a way he hadn't for a very long time. "I think I'll go check on Usopp. He's probably hungry by now."

It was an excuse, a poor, pathetic, ridiculous excuse, but for the life of him, the cook couldn't find a way to close the distance. He felt like he was being repelled, like the magnetism of their bodies, so painfully attracted before, had been reversed. All he wanted was to grab the swordsman by the shoulders and kiss him soundly, but something kept him from doing it. There was something fundamentally wrong there. But still, he lingered near the door, hoping, wishing, praying that the man who'd been his partner even before they knew it would do something to make him stay.

Hands braced on the railing, knuckles white, forearms bulging with how hard he was holding onto it, and his shoulders were so tense it looked like he was going to burst right out of his skin, a pit sat in Zoro’s stomach, "If... you want to. I'll... I'll hunt something."

Now that the old thoughts had been unearthed, they crowded his mind. Sanji was so refined. Sanji was sweet. Sanji still had goodness and kindness in him. Sanji didn't need his emotionally stunted dead weight. He was an amazing cook. He made things, he kept people alive—two things Zoro, as a swordsman, was useless for. And it all amounted to something that had been festering since he'd first realized how much he liked the cook: Sanji deserved better than him. He'd never said it out loud. He was selfish, hoping if he never said it his lover wouldn't realize its truth. So, the blond had never known this particular issue, nor had a chance to kick it out of his head.

The cook didn't realize he'd been standing there staring until the cherry from his smoke fell on the back of his hand, which had also somehow lifted as though to touch his lover, but hovered in the air because of the distance. He hissed, and clutched the wounded appendage to his chest.

"Augh!"

The larger man whirled around and his hands were encompassing Sanji's burnt one so fast it was instantaneous. Bringing the hand up his mouth and brushing a gentle kiss against it, tongue coming out to lave the burn like he was trying to lick the pain away.

He muttered, "Goddamn it, cook... you've gotta start getting sturdier cigarettes," He snorted softly as he lifted his head. His lips were just slightly quirked, and in that moment he was every bit Sanji's beloved Marimo. "One of these days that'll happen over a pot of food, cook, and then where will you be?"

"Aho-kenshin," The words were gentle, and affectionate, "You know I never smoke while I'm cooking."

Zoro's eye was soft. "Ah. I forget sometimes, Aho-cook."

The blond twisted his wrist to rub his thumb fondly over the stubble on his lover's chin, drawing an almost purr from the Marimo until the callous of his thumb grated against the multi-hued half-grown beard. Things had been too crazy for the normally well-kept swordsman to have shaved it off.

Strangely enough, the reason he was still clean-shaven had nothing to do with his bushido, but with the fact that around the edges, mostly in a rough line to either side of his mouth, the stubble came in yellow and red—the color of leaves in fall. It betrayed that though he was no older than the others really, his intense physical obsession took its toll on the way his appearance aged. If he lived long enough, his head hair would follow the color change of his beard, but, well, that was a discovery they would only make if he lived long enough. He'd go blond, then ginger, instead of silver or white.

With a frown, the swordsman straightened, a hand leaving his lover’s to examine the fuzz across his jaw. "Tch," he grunted. "Need to get rid of this..."

"I like it. It makes you look wise." Tilting his head a bit, the cook smirked, playfully, slipping his hands around the larger man's waist, "At least until you open your mouth."

Zoro snickered. "Well, then it's really got to go if it’s misleading innit?"

Sanji chuckled, "Good luck finding the razors then. Next thing I know I'll be creating my latest menu and find baby marimos growing out of my knife drawer."

The swordsman thumbed the hilt of his most temperamental cursed blade. "Mm. Who needs a razor when there's a murderous katana all too willing to get as... close to the skin as physically possible?" Still running on automatic pilot, he dropped a kiss on his lover's cheekbone, just beneath the eye. "Or I'll just ask Franky."

The smaller man leaned into the kiss, the light-hearted banter not enough to chase away all of the demons. His heart ached. The tear in their Nakama was doing things to them, and the very last thing he wanted was to ever feel like there was space between him and the man he fought so hard to get. The change in his rhythm was immediate, and if the energies weren't enough, the way he suddenly clung to his swordsman certainly related his desperation.

He buried his nose under Zoro's ear, "We need to fix this, Marimo. It's trying to tear us apart, and I've almost lost you too many times for that to be ok."

There was a moment of tenseness before, hesitantly, warm, strong arms wrapped around Sanji's delicate waist. "I'm sorry. I don't know how to fight an enemy I can't even touch or identify," he murmured into blond hair, eye closing. "I can feel it. I just don't know how to stop it."

"Then what we need to do is concentrate on the enemy we can touch. Find the bastard that dared raise a hand against our Nakama and filet him for all the world to see." The growl in those words vibrated against the swordsman's neck.

"Turn him into metal shavings and slag," Zoro rumbled his agreement, a steely eye looking out over the sea as if he could project this vicious punishment out across the waves to their intended target.

"Slag's too good for him. That Jaya smallfry is meat to be wasted." Sanji shifted so that he could follow his lover's glare, and gave another sigh, "Now, we just have remind the others of that."

"I wouldn't, Cook. Luffy... he's having another Ace-breakdown. And Robin has left us. Don't. Franky is going to have it hard enough."

"That's my point. Right now, we can't afford to have that kind of breakdown. With a singular target in our sights..." He knew how pointless that sentence was before he even finished it. "We need our navigator. We're quite literally lost without her."

Zoro let out a harsh sound that was partly grim humor and a lot pain. "I know, cook. Believe me, I know. Out of all the crew, Luffy and I know best exactly how lost we are without our navigator."

Out on the Lotus, Franky peered around the door frame of Robin's study. "Babe, we're gettin' ready ta grab a bite of Sanji's dinner, ya wanna eat out here, or come in with Usopp and the rest?"

She looked up from a map, her eyes shaded beneath the hat, and blinked a few times. "...I will eat with you. This is doing me no good."

This was bad. Her eyes were cold and distant, her voice emotionless and disturbingly proper. Ms. All-Sunday. Really and truly, emotions all packed up quietly in a box and locked away. She couldn't afford emotions. Not anymore. All that drove her was a cold fury, a deep-seated anger locked in iron and ice. Proper manners and a tense body, always ready to fight. Her eyes dropped back to the map.  _ ‘You're out there somewhere, Mr. Bellamy. Revel in your days, because I'm coming, and when I get there, I come for you.’ _

"Eh..." The cyborg ran his hand over his head, the hair retracted into a buzz-cut at the moment. The chill running down his spine had nothing to do with the recent refitting to his cola-cooler. "I thought ya weren't gonna bring that out again. We... uh... alright. I'll let 'em know."

She stepped away from the table, face sedate and yet somehow giving a dangerous vibe. "Plans have altered. He has sent an agent to infiltrate, distract, humiliate, and weaken us. I have adjusted accordingly."

"But... aren't ya playin' inta his hands by doin' exactly that? I mean, we all could tell he was at least not tellin' the whole truth. He's some little shit that Bellamy thought could sneak under our guard, I'm sure of it." And here for so long he'd been sure his knowledge of running the underworld of Water 7 was useless.

Those dead eyes looked right into his. "I know quite well Bellamy sent him. His purpose was to drive a wedge between us among the crew. In that, he has succeeded. Temporarily. I suspect he was not counting on the secondary effects, and to take full advantage, which I intend to do, a slight adjustment had to be made. He wishes to manipulate our emotions to control us. I have the advantage over him in that I can remove mine from the equation." She then gave a slight, blood-curdling smile. It could have killed a small animal. "He may fly the flag of the Master Puppeteer, but he is certainly nowhere near his level. Doflamingo, for all his faults, could and did choose to employ subtlety when it would produce the best results. Mr. Bellamy appears incapable."

That chill shook him again, and he found himself wanting to pull his sunglasses on just to handle looking at her. This was what Luffy had seen through to know she was Nakama all those years ago? Where was his flower? For all that he had personally witnessed her capability for murder, this emotionless person seemed like something out of a horror story, more terrifying than anything they'd seen in their travels. And underneath, though he nodded to give her at least some answer, he could only wonder if she'd be able to return.

Ms. All-Sunday's cruel smile dropped seeing the range of thoughts flicker across her lover’s face, and she reached up to pat his cheek. "Never fear. All locks have a key."

With that, she floated over towards Sanji's kitchen, mind again picking at the biggest current problem: Where was Bellamy, and how could they find him?

Somehow, the shipwright just wasn't comforted. Flashbacks to his youth made him pause at the edge of the deck, gripping the rail and swallowing harshly. After a moment, he gave in to the impulse to drop his shades, and he silently vowed to destroy that hat the next time she took it off. As far as he was concerned, Ms. All-Sunday needed to die and leave his Bobby alone! So, with a tension in his jaw that he refused to acknowledge he followed her into the restaurant again.

 


	14. Magical Magnetic Mischief! All Blue in Neverland!

As per usual, dinner aboard the All-Blue was a work of art, and tasted better. Food didn't care that the Pirate King was listless, the sniper could barely manage to hold his knife, and the archeologist probably couldn't acknowledge the difference between it and cardboard, it was still the same level of ingredient as it always was, and regardless of anything else that was going on, Sanji never put less than his absolute best into it. So, it was served, though not quite as appreciated as always.

However, about halfway through things started to get weird.

"O-oi!" Franky exclaimed, as his knife flew out of his hand at the door.

Then the chandelier bent in the same direction, creaking and groaning, and as their attention turned to it, Usopp's utensils joined Franky's, the spoon catching on the cyborg's nose. Sanji frowned, slamming his foot on the rung of the steel-frame barstool that tried to slide across the floor.

"What the hell?!" He grumbled. Disturbing a meal was a cardinal sin as far as the cook was concerned.

Things creaked and groaned, except it wasn't everything. It was all the metal things. Abruptly, the direction changed, and the barstool flew away from Sanji back to where it usually stood, but the cutlery was suddenly flying in every direction at once, twitching and jerking in the air, sticking in surfaces and bending into incomprehensible shapes. The whole ship began to groan, and there was the feeling of movement somehow, and the scraping grind of the anchor moving across the sea floor. Then the door tore off the frame, suspended by the hinges. It flung itself aside to reveal the source of the antics.

"The fucking—" The cook was abruptly cut off.

"Sanji-ya, tell me Chopper is here! It would be the first good news I've had in over a week." The image of a displeased and disheveled Trafalgar Law was not one that many had the privilege of seeing. He glanced at the much larger body of his lover, hanging heavily on his shoulder. "Oh, do stop squirming! The more you move the deeper the shrapnel goes, and I don't want to have to clean your heart one ventricle at a time."

Kidd's dark eyes were unfocused and wandered aimlessly around, trying to figure out where he was, but unfortunately the man's current state prevented him taking in any actual information from his surroundings. He was only able to register what he 'saw' through his power: metal objects acting funny.

"Ssstoppit," he snapped at them, "only bear fuckin' dance! Go back!" Obediently, each item returned to its proper place and shape, and Kidd immediately slumped against Law, exhausted. "Shrapnel... fuckin'... nnghh... can't... shove... stuck..."

He'd been trying, consciously and subconsciously, to forcibly eject the metal bits from his body since it had become shrapnel instead of parts of his working arm, but it was too deep in the muscle and was tangled with the fibers—'stuck'. In his weakened state, he only made it worse when he tried, but he couldn't seem to help himself.

"That is why I continue to tell you to stop. I can get it out if you'll just have patience!" It was clear the genius surgeon was near the end of his own. Sharp, dark eyes, more shadowed than normal, snapped to the others in turn, searching for the reindeer with the blue nose. "Fuck."

"What happened?!" Usopp exclaimed as Franky jumped to his feet to help support the falling metal-worker.

"Feh. Bellamy." Law growled, succinct for the way his temper was getting the better of him. When had he slept last? Four days? Five? He wasn't sure anymore, but it was affecting his inter-personal skills, such as they were.

A growl that echoed his own rumbled from the gathered Strawhats. Luffy ground his teeth, the shadows on his own face beginning to resemble the Surgeon of Death’s normal appearance. There was something of a scramble but seeing as how the standard infirmary bed was currently slotted for Usopp, the couch was Luffy's domain, and the galley counters were never touched by anything other than food, it meant the dinner had to be moved, and quickly.

Kidd barked an incomprehensible order and the metal flakes mixed in with the material of the dishes responded. All of it rose and moved into the kitchen… somewhere. He wasn't really sure, he was fuzzy, all he knew was the food didn't go to the floor or to waste and that would be enough to placate the chef.

"Fucker's METAL! He should've been unner m'control! How the fuck'd he... manage... nngh. L-Law? Th-th' world's... goin'... dark'gain..." His vision was fading. He remembered Law wasn't happy about when that happened. Something about... he shouldn't sleep... but he was so... tired all of a sudden...

"HEY!!! NO! Damnitall, Eustass!! If I have to come in there you're going to be seriously sorry!" D.E.A.T.H. smacked across the redhead's face. "You need to stay with me."

As one, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji and Franky hauled the other captain up onto the table. It was something of a feat as various bits of metal kept trying to make its way across the room at random times.

Struggling to stay awake, Kidd snorted and his eyelids fluttered, giving him a sort of sleepy-looking glare. "I swear t'god yer 'unna make me go blin' un day. Al’ays smackin' me."

Law had been keeping him conscious since the infection had set in—a man as big as Kidd having an infection in the blood, not to mention the concussion, going to sleep would be just the icing on the Coma Cake.

"M'mean, fuck... c'nt e'n control..."

His head thumped down onto the table, eyes glazed as he fought to keep his magnetic control, and to keep the metal shit out of the doctor's way. He didn't realize one of those metal things was Franky, the shipwright skidding halfway across the room before Kidd figured the scrap heap was out of the way enough.

"Oi!" The sixth time the cyborg found himself back to back with the doorframe, he glared. "Tell yer patient ta quit haulin' yer assistants 'round by the knees!"

"I assure you, he has no more control over it than you do, but this should help some. Everyone clear out if you don't want your internal organs rearranged." Law brought his hands up over his lover. "Room."

The electricity in the place darkened slightly as the glowing pale blue dome formed around the private quarters. He hadn't really given them the chance to leave, but to his way of thinking the warning should have been enough.

"Shambles."

The entire left side of Kidd's chest was opened, glittering like a disco ball in the lamplight from the sheer volume of metal scraps that were pulverized into the joint and surrounding tissues. Seriously fighting the urge to react to the way the spring-loaded asshole had damaged his other half, the surgeon immediately began removing the shrapnel. The worst part was that as he liberated each piece, it became caught in the redhead's out of control magnetism. So, while Franky, who was outside of the bubble, was unaffected, the growing number of shards was becoming a storm of dart-like weapons within the blue barrier.

Seeming to suddenly realize the irritating metal was coming out, Kidd's eyes opened back fully and he snarled something else at the shards. Immediately they stopped storming and began to clump together. He barked another order and they instead started arranging themselves, jostling and wiggling, including the ones close enough to the surface of his cut flesh, until in the air there was forming, slowly but surely, the unmistakable shape of what the shards had originally been: Kidd's mechanical shoulder mount.

If the redhead hadn't been laying down, he'd be swaying. This was taking all his concentration and his eyes were nearly crossing. He was sweating like crazy, and his eyes had gone straight from glazed to fever-bright and shiny.

About an hour into the intricate peeling back of layers of muscle, a sheen of sweat broke out across Law's brow. His shoulders were cramping, and his fingers were aching. Just how much of this shit was there?! The trash who'd done it would learn. It was bad enough to attack the Mugiwara Pirates. To do so under his father's flag was worse, but this... this had him almost losing concentration, with the sheer level of his fury. He actually had to pause and close his eyes for a moment to recollect his thoughts as the anger seeping into his aura was threatening to cause harm to his beloved rather than good.

Outside the bubble, Luffy's eyes narrowed, Franky rolled a shoulder, Zoro thumbed Wado, Sanji chewed on the end of a cigarette, and Usopp glared into space. Oh yes, Bellamy was racking up quite a tab in terms of retribution.

Seeing Law's eyes close, and recognizing the feel of sheer, unadulterated fury, Kidd's flesh hand reached out and cupped his surgeon's face. It was weak, and his skin was cold against Law's heated cheek. But it was him. He even managed a wobbly smile.

"Now now... doctor man... I trus-trust you. Nnnno... distractions d-d-during mmmy... surgery. Or I-I-I'll haf... hafta ge... et a n... nnnew... doc." That was his limit of stringing a coherent sentence together. His hand dropped, arm laying limp across his stomach, and he shuddered.

His power was working to aid Law, forcing any and all bits of metal that did not belong to the surface of the cut so Law could pick them out.

"As if any could measure up to me." The smirk was tired around the edges, but there nonetheless. "No other physician in the world would put up with your constant need for destruction."

Another layer and he'd reached the redhead's ribs, lifting each one carefully away to be absolutely certain that nothing had actually penetrated down that far. He really didn't want to have to dissect internal organs at his level of concentration.

Kidd started to giggle. "Dun... tickles...."

It did. Law's nodachi scraping his ribs cause a peculiar sensation his body couldn't comprehend and it translated to a tickle. At least, when Law's Room was involved. Any other time it hurt like a motherfucker.

"Some... back... spine? Can't move... twitchy."

Some of the shrapnel had gotten into his blood vessels and was now pressed snugly against his spine. Any time he even touched those with his power, he started twitching uncontrollably; they were on the nerves.

"Fuck." The levity was gone again. "I will need you to roll over. Do you feel any others in your chest? I don't see any but you have a better sense for metal than I."

Around the Room, a collective level of awe rippled through the Strawhats. Law? Being modest? Just how long had they been fighting for this, and what else had happened to leave the Neverlands this strung out? Unconsciously, Luffy cracked his knuckles, spoiling to have Bellamy's face under his fists. The sound brought similar sentiments from the others.

"Cheszt... good. Just... back. See?"

The metal master weakly gestured to the floating 3-d-puzzle that was his shoulder mount; there were only a few small holes where bits were missing. A dozen at most. And, with almost astonishing casualness, his hand reached out and folded down the layers Law had pulled up before turning onto his stomach so Law could access his back.

"All onna... llleftside."

The way the muscles weaved across the scapula made this part of the job easier, and with a handful of quick, decisive slices, the master of magnetism had his missing pieces, along with several extra that had apparently been there from the first time the mounting socket had been installed. It left the surgeon muttering under his breath about idiotic pirates that didn't know when to have their doctors do an extra thorough job and how if it had been him the first time around there wouldn't be any extra pieces left over. And if he closed the pseudo-wound a little forcefully because of it, he made no attempt to even appear remorseful, let alone actually voice such sentiments.

Kidd just grinned at him, hand pulling him down so he could give him a little thank-you kiss. "If Franky... fires th' bits... slag... blueprint... blueprint then slag... fuck. Drugs, baby."

He hated the drugs, they burned his blood, but this being unable to keep his head straight shit was worse.

"Sanji-ya, I need a pot of hot water and a mug. Someone broke the last one I had." Law smirked a little, the last week really beginning to get to him now that the metal was removed and he wasn't facing the certain doom of his beloved.

"Hai."

The requested items were quickly brought to the dining-turned-operating table, where the brunette dropped a bundle of herbs and a small, white tablet Chopper had developed into the water. Immediately the pill began to fizz, rapid-steeping the herbs with the roiling water, and at the same time infusing the concoction with the right amount of painkiller to balance the antibiotic. He swirled it a few times, and blew across the top, then measured the temperature with his wrist.

"Alright. Sit." He ordered, though he slipped his free arm around his lover's shoulders pretending not to help.

The redhead did his best to sit up, stomach muscles crunching up as he sighed and leaned his head against the crook of Law's shoulder, supporting himself on his hand. Shuddering at the awful taste to come, he shakily wrapped his hand around Law's on the cup.

"Fuck... hate this... but helps..."

Again with an air of affected indifference, the doctor helped his lover drink the potion. "That is generally what medicine is for, regardless of what you muscle-headed morons think of it and its relationship to pain."

After the cup was drained—because he damn well knew Law wouldn't let him stop until it was all in him—he turned his head and stole a kiss. A real one. Then he licked his lips. "Mmm. Tastes like doctor. Better."

Then he shoved his face back in Law's neck and waited for the shit to kick in. Zoro tried not to snicker at the surgeon's expression, now that Kidd was apparently no longer in imminent danger.

The blush that crossed his nose was quickly squashed with a gesture of his middle finger towards the swordsman, but he allowed his other arm to remain around the larger man's shoulders, both for his own comfort and reassurance as well as his lover's.

Robin slipped back inside from evaluating their ship, or more accurately, their ship's wreckage. As an Archeologist, she was able to read how the battle had happened from the remains: bottom line, it had been bad. He'd broadsided them, literally, and launched into their bedroom, presumably at night.

"How is it, Robin-chwan?" Sanji asked quietly, and Franky popped a pair of wrenches from the insides of his forearms.

"It is... very bad. There is a hole in the stern and another in the prow. Starboard side has been pulverized, and the engine system-"

Kidd's whole body shuddered and he made an animal-in-pain sound.

"...that. The mainmast looks to be sheared nearly in half, the sails are in tatters. The crew has many injuries, though none as terrible as Mr. Kidd."

"The idiot decided to throw himself in the way, as usual." Law commented.

The shipwright nodded and began mentally calculating what he'd need to do. As long as the keel was still fine, he could probably salvage the ship from what they had aboard the Lotus and the All-Blue. "I'll need a good look at yer blueprints fer yer engine. I'm not as familiar with yer magnets as I am with my cola."

The fiery captain snorted. "Ngh... hadda protect m'doctor... an' don' worry 'bout th' engine Franky. I'll take care o' it. Uhnf. Or you'll help me rather... I won't be able ta weld for a while..."

The look said doctor leveled his patient with was enough to keep the cyborg quiet. He knew that look. He'd experienced that look. It meant Kidd would be lucky if he was allowed to even lift his own knife and fork to eat for the next several days. So, with a nod and an uncharacteristically discreet cough, Franky made his way out to the Neverlands' ship to make his own assessment of the damage. As he did so he took in the solemn expressions from the others. Usopp had his hand curled unconsciously around the handle of his kabuto, Luffy had pulled his hat down a bit to shadow the glare on his face, and Sanji, being Sanji, flicked the top down on his lighter with a deep inhale of smoke.

His words reached the shipwright even as the larger man left the confines of the All-Blue. "It seems Bellamy is earning himself quite a debt these days."

Robin looked away, hat shading her eyes as well. "Mr. Bellamy will be paying more dearly than he could ever previously comprehend. Doflamingo himself could never have devised such a long and painful payment as that which Mr. Bellamy will be required to... cough up."

And she meant that literally. She would watch his internal organs be coughed out of his mouth in chunks before she considered letting him die.

Kidd was too exhausted to notice The Look as he nuzzled into his doctor's neck and purring softly. “Law? We got ta tha' place again."

Zoro frowned. "What place?"

"The place where I'm so fuckin' tired I'm unable to relax enough ta fall asleep," Kidd groaned.

The marimo raised his sword hilt. "I have the solution for that."

One eye in shadow, Law almost responded to the archeologist, but the nose burying itself beneath his collar kept him from speaking his mind. "Sanji-ya, is there a bed where I can take my idiot co-captain to rest until he's strong enough for me to torture him?"

"Yeah, through the door behind you." The blond chuckled, savoring his smoke as punctuation.

Muscling the magnet-brain towards the door, the surgeon contemplated things for a moment. "I don't believe the Joker would have allowed this to continue had he known of the plaything's survival. He rarely ever let his toys get away once they'd displeased him. So, there may be something to his reappearance beyond what we've already seen. Bellamy is a lackey. He will always be nothing but an amusement for those smarter and more capable than he. Thus, it makes me wonder if there is a puppet master behind his actions, pulling the strings in an even more disrespectful manner." He turned back to the door, his hat low and his collar high, "After all, it wouldn't be the first time someone has come back from the dead."

Robin considered. "Whoever it might be would be a poor puppeteer compared to the man Bellamy belonged to first. But your point has merit..."

 


	15. What's White as Milk and Cracked All Over? Broken Bones and Magnets!

Kidd struggled. "No! Nonono, not a bed, not a fuckin' bed! I don' wan'! Hate bein' strapped down! Noooooo!"

Zoro laughed at last; he couldn't help it. Law was known for literally forcing his more stubborn patients to obey Doctor's Orders.

"Then simply stay put," A pale hand literally marked with death reached up and grabbed a handful of crimson hair and pulled, "don't give me a reason to."

Sanji smirked and leaned into his lover, "As if you have room to laugh, moss-head."

"Yeah, but Kidd knows: The second Law gets him ON a bed, a real bed, he will be tied as a 'preventative measure'. You don't live with a man for a couple decades without knowing what tricks they use and the hallmarks that indicate one is coming."

Forced bed rest drove him nuts after two days at most. So, Kidd wailed as his head was yanked around. "FUUUUCKK! DON' LETTIM TIE MEEEE!"

Once again a single eye was visible in the shadow under Law's hat and it twinkled dangerously as he pulled the reluctant other out of the room. "Come, Eustass-ya~."

The cook gave his swordsman a withering look, "I'll remind you of that when you're laid up the next time."

Zoro made his best innocent expression as an explosion of curses came from the other room, Kidd too weak to resist. "Well Law isn't my doctor. That's Chopper."

"Be thankful," The blond snorted. "Chopper doesn't usually resort to physical restraints, just guilt trips."

"He doesn't have to. His Heavy Point’s got the physical strength to hold my ass down."

An anguished wail replaced the curses to indicate Law's success.

The color drained from Sanji's face. "I should probably change the name on the billboard. We have entirely too many patients to be a restaurant anymore."

Zoro chuckled, pecked Sanji's cheek, and went to go train some more. His anger was still boiling just under the surface... he needed to pulverize something. And then kill some sea kings.

With that the cook tucked his cigarette in the corner of his mouth and began clearing up the dishes left over from dinner. Luffy helped, somewhat, by licking the plates clean first, though with less enthusiasm than normal. The second attack on Nakama seemed to have sent the rubber man into deep contemplation, which he declared required vast amounts of food to keep going, but still, it left him more subdued than usual. Usopp seemed to be in the same sort of mood, because he quickly stole away into a corner of the communal room to tinker with explosives and ammunition for his weapons, in spite of the still healing state of his body.

Robin was sitting on the railing, staring out at the sea's endless waves. Her face was expressionless, but her thoughts churned. Bellamy was metal. But he'd resisted Kidd's control somehow... but if Kidd's magnetism was going haywire there was the distinct possibility he'd managed to magnetize the son of a submariner...

The quiet that was the rumble of background noise filled the empty sea restaurant. It was just like being back on the Sunny so many years ago. Metal clanging, curses thrown about, footsteps, and a general air of purpose hung about the place. It was oddly comforting in all the upside down insanity that had happened over the last few months. Strangely enough, things almost seemed normal, at least if one didn't poke too closely at the surface. It continued for several hours before a cry rang out gathering everyone's attention.

"OI! There's a ship! No colors!" Franky, perched high on the repaired mast of the Flying Pan, called out with a deep frown.

Sanji froze in his chopping, Usopp looked up from the bullets he was making with one lens of his goggles raised, Luffy stretched an arm to fling himself up to the cyborg's vantage point, and Law poked his head out of the bedroom he'd been given.

It was Robin who realized it first, and she grabbed Zoro by the shirt and dragged him out to utilize the gift he had been given at the end of his training with Mihawk. "Look in that boat and tell me what you see."

With deliberate movements, the swordsman closed his right eye, gathered the Haki necessary, and opened his left. Beneath the scarred, normally closed lid, the orb was a bright gold. Much like his predecessor’s ‘hawk vision’ the eye that was usually hidden gave him the ability to see greater distances.

Then he gasped and swore so loudly Kidd's crewmembers jerked to attention. "BROOK!"

Laying on the bottom of the tiny boat he'd managed to commandeer, a bleached skull smiled. He'd finally drifted back to where he belonged.

"BROOOOOOK!!!!!!!" Luffy hollered, and snagged the boat, which left Franky to grab a hold of the captain's hips for fear of the rubber man flying off of his perch while still over open ocean.

Law stepped out onto the deck next to Sanji and Usopp, who were both still somewhat tense and ready for a fight, "Does this mean Chopper is here now as well?"

"No," Zoro said, his voice thick and harsh, blinking his good eye to clear the after effects of the altered vision. "No... ’cause Brook never made it ta Chopper. There ‘re missin’ bits ta his bones. Bleached spots an’ dirty ones. He looks like old bones. He has cracks an’ chips an’ teeth missin’ like after Thriller Bark. He's hurt bad, an’ if he'd managed ta get ta Chopper he wouldn't be like that."

The green-haired man threw off his shirt and boots, and jumped overboard with a rope in his teeth. As he had with the Merry II he was towing the dinghy in!

Robin grit her teeth for a split second as her emotions tried to escape from the box. No! No. Just more anger to add to the ice-wall. More cold fury and rage to galvanize her. She couldn't afford an emotional investment.

A silver-handled cane slowly rose up and waved 'hello'. He lived, even if he was rather weak.

"For God's sake...." Sanji dared not speak the next sentence on his lips.

He simply turned on his heel and made for the refrigerator. He wasn't sure if it really worked but the skeleton had always felt better after drinking milk, so it was worth a shot at least. What he didn't realize, however, was Law tapping out sparks that flew from the cook's body with an almost concerned expression on his face. Things were much worse than he feared when the letter from the Strawhats had informed him of what was going on. The question bothering him most was just how much stronger was the imposter now?

As soon as Zoro was close enough, both Law and Usopp grabbed hold of the rope, helping to haul the small boat in spite of the sniper's still bandaged hands. Luffy made short work of the rest of the process by rocketing himself from Franky to the deck of the All-Blue, never letting go of the edge of the craft.

The swordsman gathered the half-clad bones in the tatters of what had once been a fine suit and jumped up onto the deck with the gentlest and most careful of movements. Slowly, bone by bone, Brook reassembled himself. When he was together the way he ought to be again, he gave a tired sort of smile, and patted himself down, briefly mourning the loss of his suit.

"Ah, Law-kun. How nice to see you again. I do hope your redhead is in better shape than this old bag of bones?" He leaned heavily on his cane as he hobbled inside, in desperate need of food, drink, and—please God—some good news.

"Sorry to disappoint, Brook-ya, he's not much better off than you. It seems the Joker's plaything has gotten around more than we originally thought." The shorter man tipped his hat back and without hesitation reached up to twist the vertebra into alignment, just as he used to do for his father. "Is there some explanation for how you came to be in this state?"

"Oooohh, you have some fine hands, Law-kun," Brooke sighed before nodding. "Yes... the quickest way to reach Skypiea with the sky roads out of order as they have been since the Great War, as you are aware, is via Knock Up Stream. Unfortunately for me, while I was waiting for the stream to erupt... Bellamy found me. And he knew who and what I was immediately and how to stop me from escaping. He has taken over all of Jaya and made it his base of operation, with his ships constantly circling like a swarm of sharks to prevent others from getting past him either into Jaya or up into Skypiea. He held me prisoner for... I do not know how long. However, I got lucky. He employs some very stupid subordinates."

"That certainly explains why we haven't heard from Chopper either." Sanji returned with a carton and a large glass. "I only hope things can be sorted out before—"

The cook broke off as Luffy entered the room again. All eyes were drawn to the Pirate King, and he rubbed the back of his neck before looking away. Silence reigned and the rubber man, uncomfortable under the scrutiny of so many of his friends rolled his shoulders, then stretched himself to snap back up to his perch above the restaurant. Usopp sighed, and returned to his munitions. Franky shook his head, cast a glance at Robin helplessly, and followed Luffy back to the Flying Pan under the pretense of continuing his repairs. Law looked around him and the confusion in his eyes drew his brows together.

"I feel something has not been entirely explained to me, Sanji-ya. Your message informed me of Ms. Nami's pregnancy, but it seems that you left something out." He ran his nimble fingers down the skeleton's spine again, making sure each joint was connected properly.

Brook shuddered and his cane trembled. "Ah... yes. There has been some... contention over the child. A matter of who betrayed whom, if there was a betrayal at all, such inconsequential details that have apparently become important since I have been cut off from the world. I see it all as rather silly and nonsense, but these younger folks have had rather strong feelings about it. That is why Nami is... elsewhere. It is good I did not know where. Bellamy questioned me constantly... I told him nothing. But it was a close thing. He kept throwing... throwing me into... into a tank of seawater and fishing out my bones after disconnecting my head so I didn't drown."

Law actually frowned up at the skeleton. "That's ridiculous." He would have continued but the general feel to the air about the room stalled his tongue. So, collecting his thoughts, the surgeon pressed forward, "Well, if it keeps them safe then by all means, we must do what we must do. Do you have any stiffness? Salt in your joints at all? It's a fair distance between here and Jaya, even if Eustass's magnets brought you back more quickly than normal."

Brook winced and nodded. "I have salt in every joint, crevice and vertebrae, Law. It's layered on so thick I have an extra inch to every bone. It's quite painful. But what's this about Mr. Kidd's magnets?"

The trademark smirk broke across his face for the first time since he'd arrived at the All-Blue. With a deft flick of his wrist, the shorter brunette snatched the musician's top hat from his hair. He lifted the edge of the band just enough to display the small, round disks attached to the fabric. "After the Great War, it was determined that should any one of us be separated for any reason we would always have a way to return to friendly waters. If you were to simply fall into a lifeboat and drift, eventually these," He tapped the disks, "would bring you here. It's how the All-Blue travels in a straight line from Raftel to Whiskey Peak and back again every year."

The magnets wiggled and vibrated for a second, sparked purple, and resumed sitting innocently.

Brook blinked. "What... was that? I appreciate it, but what just happened to them? Did they go dead?"

Law looked at the door off to the side, and exhaled with a slight frown, "That… would be someone not doing as he was told and needing be reminded why he's strapped to the bed naked. Excuse me."

He handed the hat back to the older man and made his way through the door. Sanji snickered and poured Brook a second glass of milk while Usopp chuckled into his work with a wistful air, and the sounds of banging reached through the open doorway.

Swearing resumed but in spite of the altercation a duplicate purple spark flashed on the end of Wado’s hilt, the necklace around Robin’s throat, and the strike pads on Sanji’s shoes. There was a small lull, and for a moment it seemed all was over, but then, outside the spark occurred again on the band of Luffy’s hat, Franky’s nose, and somewhere far off, beyond even what the surgeon thought his lover could reach, the navigator’s Clima Tact and the buckle of the reindeer’s backpack.

That brought another loud swear and a whine, and Law returned looking entirely too smug carrying something that really, really shouldn't have been brought out of the room without its owner. Thankfully, the surgeon did have it wrapped in a cloth and tucked under his jacket, though that didn't stop him from stroking it in a rhythmic fashion where his hand was unseen. In response, Kidd snarled curses in five different languages from his prison, one of which made Zoro turn white, then red, then white again and rush to protect his cook.

Brook laughed, the calcium already helping to mend his bones. The master of magnetism was going to have a very uncomfortable recovery. But it had been worth it to strengthen the magnets again, if this ever happened again help was needed to come and quickly. The skeleton focused on his milk, thoroughly amused, as a purple spark on Usopp's goggles where Law wouldn't see it was an indication of the redhead’s continued defiance.

Under his coat, where none could see what he was doing Law pressed his thumb against that hidden object, if the patient wasn't going to behave, then he was just going to have to suffer the consequences. Having the vas deferens disconnected was going to make it very difficult for his lover to achieve completion until he determined that the redhead had suffered enough, and in the meantime, he was perfectly content with stimulating the removed flesh, knowing full well that the man to which it belonged could feel everything. So, with an air of both superiority and unconcern, Law reclaimed his seat next to Brook.

"We were discussing magnets, were we not?"

The musician inclined his head, mostly to hide his entertainment, “We'd just finished the magnet discussion, I'd thought. It was how I got here?"

"We did, but to cumulate it, we can use them to find each other as well. See, each one has a specific polarity, and should we need to, we can attune a log pose to direct for that specific polarity. Especially with Eustass here and cooperative." The surgeon punctuated his sentence with another brush of his thumb.

An animal snarl came from the bedroom that made Zoro stick his head in it and snarl back, bristled up like a cat. Next to Law, Robin shook her head with a tiny smile—such devious minds and foul-mouthed brutes they had. It made life so interesting.

Sanji walked past carrying a try of tarts for Robin and the females among the Neverlands' crew, giving the swordsman a chastising smack on the back of the head as he did so. "Behave, or his won't be the only one being tortured. Law can remove others' body parts too, you know."

"Cook, do ya even know what he's sayin?!" Another animal snarl came, and this time Zoro blushed beet red and slammed the door. "HELL NO!"

"I don't need to know what he's saying to know what you're saying. And you shouldn't be saying such things in front of the ladies." Sanji chastised and moved off.

Brooke tipped his hat. "I see. I don't suppose that in Mr. Kidd's attempts to control Bellamy's metal body, he managed to magnetize... him?"

An evil chuckle rolled out from underneath the door that had a touch of demented laughter in it. "You bet yer fuckin' foot bones I did, Deadman!"

Law chuckled as well. "Yes it was amusing somewhat. Though he was controlled, and I fear it may have something to do with the plaything's ability to render his flesh metal and the metal back to flesh. It makes it rather difficult for the two of us to keep up given our agreement. However, now that someone is laid up for a while to deal is off." The last was said just loud enough to be heard in the other room.

Rumbling growl and the door popped back open. "Oh no, lovey, concernin' Bellamy an' any other middle ground, deal is off—first dibs to whoever gets 'im first!"

"Usopp gets first dibs as sniper. He kidnapped his wife," Zoro reminded quietly.

Kidd fell silent for a moment. "Yeah. Sorry, Sureshot. You do get first crack at 'im. But he goes metal an' I'm turnin' him inta slag."

The jovial atmosphere died somewhat at the reminder of that pain, and the long-nosed man hunched his shoulders, the muscles he'd developed while working with Zoro to regain his mobility rippling with tension and fury. His voice was quiet and shocking to those who remembered the over-the-top liar from years past, "If there's anything left when I'm done with him, he's yours."

There was some general shifting of weight as the sniper's words made the whole room uncomfortable, but then Law cleared his throat. "Yes, well, be that as it may, we have the problem of getting in there to get to him. Can you tell us anything, Brook-ya?"

"Other than he's gone quite mad? Mad as a hatter, actually. Literally. He calls his new ship The Wonderland, and in it everything is themed. He even has that infamous tea-room in which a variety of nasty and occasionally deadly concoctions are drunk. It is in there he keeps Kaya, whom he has cast in the role of 'Alice'. He fancies himself the Mad Hatter, the grand composer of this demented fairy book.” He turned to the sniper in an attempt to be reassuring. “Kaya looked well, when I saw her. A bit thin from stress, tired from lack of sleep, but she did not appear to be physically harmed. And though she was bound to her chair, with her mouth covered to keep her from speaking, she was never given any of the same food or drinks that may or may not have contained poison the rest of the crew was forced to consume. For being in her terrible situation, Usopp, your wife was looking remarkably well, glowing even. If rather horrified when Bellamy questioned me."

"If he's harmed a hair on her head, he'll wish Luffy was the one in charge of his beating." That same dangerous tone and dark foreboding energy that made everyone nervous, even more so as they noticed the absence of the aforementioned captain.

Trying to distract them from the killing intent, Sanji twirled a tea cup. "Perhaps we could use that to our advantage. Tell me, Brook, does he have a Cheshire Cat yet? Or a Caterpillar?"

"Your train of thought is intriguing, Sanji-ya." If there was one thing the Surgeon of Death enjoyed, it was creating insanity out of normality. He liked to think of it as a sign that his adoptive fathers had rubbed off on him just a little bit.

The musician was quiet for a moment in contemplation, “A Caterpillar I couldn't say, but, he… um… did have someone he referred to as the Cheshire Cat... I never saw who it was though. I think Bellamy may have suspected one of his men would fail him and I would escape and didn't want to reveal them."

"Hm... Well, as our course is currently set for Ryuunosu, I think it's safe to assume we'll find out everything in due time. If we can I'd like to have someone within his ranks, but not at the risk of someone's life." Sanji wrapped a hand around his goatee, thinking hard.

Law folded his hands together on the table, "I'm inclined to agree. Whatever it is that has made the plaything stronger is bound to have made him more wary of those he knows to be associates of Luffy-ya. Our best course of action is to simply heal and plan our assault. Though there may be more of a help for us than at first glance. On our way here, our lookout observed two vessels heading for Water Seven. One was Marine in nature, and the other bore Dragon's mark. As per the treaty we avoided them, but I find it entirely too coincidental that Coby-ya and Dragon-ya would be moving at the same time."

Zoro drifted in. "Law? Can I ask you somethin'... in private?"

"Ah... of course." The surgeon climbed to his feet and put his hands in his pockets. Any sort of walking was a good excuse for further teasing his poor laid up other half as he followed the swordsman.

When they were out of sight, and more importantly out of earshot of the rest of the crew, the green haired man fixed him with a firm worried stare. "...What else did you see around Water Seven?"

It was subtle. For Zoro. The question itself implied something Law wouldn't have normally seen, that there was something missing.

"We weren't there very long..." The doctor seemed to think something over before looking up at the Strawhats’ first mate, "There was another ship. Small, could only have held six or seven people and only for a short while. It flew no flag, and the sails were nondescript, but it was odd, nestled among the larger vessels. Why do you ask?"

That eye knew something as a sharp grin flashed across the wide mouth.

"Oh. Just wanted to know. And… this'll seem odd, but... any... unusual things in the water? Strange animals?" Like bananadiles was what he was thinking.

That was when it hit the genius doctor. "Oh. Yes. They were there. Very close. Circling the ship often. They seemed agitated, and impatient. Perhaps they were waiting for someone."

The look on Law's face demanded that when this was all over he be given the explanation as to how such a thing could have happened, and why he'd had no knowledge of it.

"Ahh. What I suspected then. Thanks." The swordsman promised no answers, but the smile that flashed again indicated that, when it was all over and there was time again, he could be persuaded.

A single dark eyebrow arched; challenge accepted, though he suspected that if things were as he thought they were, he'd be getting answers from a different side of the situation rather than returning to the swordsman. After all, why go to a friend when family was so much closer? "My pleasure. Was that all you needed?"

"Mhm. Just wanted to know how... erm… close that particular ship was to the situation." Zoro slipped back off, humming happily.

"I see, then I believe I'll take my leave of your company for the moment." His eyes drifted up towards the roof, where a suspiciously shaped shadow had plastered itself against the curve of one of the eaves. He gave a small bow and left the captain and his first mate to talk if they so chose. "My patient needs me."


	16. Check! The Queen Captured!

At that moment, the object of everyone's growing wrath was slinking through the bowels of his ship. He may have had control of the stupid island, but he never did feel all that comfortable on dry land. Too solid, not enough give, he always said. So, he, and his most precious of crew members were still aboard the Wonderland. The corridor in particular he was skulking around was flanked by doors of every shape and size, each one looking like a drug addict's idea of bedrooms. Behind the doors wasn't much better. Rooms with furniture so large giants would have found it dwarfing were placed next to rooms decorated in miniature, giving the disconcerting feeling of being terrified to break something. There were rooms that were upside down, rooms that were inverted, rooms with twisting motifs, and all manner of psychedelic colors.

A grin not unlike the symbol he stole accompanied by a small twitch in his eye brought him to a door that appeared to be off center, painted bright red and shaped like a heart. This was his Queen's bedroom—cell.

He opened the door with an even bigger grin and a cackle. "Good MORN-ing! And how is our precious little mother today?"

The inside of the room was decorated completely in red hearts. Heart-shaped bed, dresser, lamps, rugs, paintings of heart-shaped red rose bushes, etc. It was literally drowning in red hearts, and the sole occupant was dressed in a fitting gown, all brocade and taffeta in crimson and vermillion with accents of gold and black—just like the queen of hearts from a deck of playing cards.

She sat up in the chair at the table with a bit of a wild look to her that was quickly squashed. She'd learned quickly that one, she was not strong enough to hurt the blond's most vulnerable weak spot, and two, he only found her attempts amusing for about a week. She'd also, once she'd learned of her condition, tried to keep more or less on the insane male's good side. This was all she had left of her husband. This baby was the only thing that still contained any part of Usopp, the man she loved more than anything.

"As well as can be expected," was her cautious reply, hand protectively on her gently rounded swell of belly. "The morning sickness makes things difficult, as usual."

Instantly the captain swung around the back of her chair to snake his own hand under hers. "Good good."

He punctuated it with a rubbing motion more akin to the stroke of affection on a cat than to an expectant woman. His grin was sideways with a manic light in his eyes that spoke of excitement that couldn't possibly be good for anyone.

"Are we lonely? Tired of just ourselves for company?"

The shudder that rippled over her skin, and up and down her spine, from his touch was extremely noticeable and she didn't bother to hide it. She hated him touching her and he knew it. But she couldn't make him stop, she wasn't that strong. And she knew it amused him deeply. She didn't want to think about the consequences if she should cease to amuse.

"...I have company enough in my little one... Bellamy."

He liked her to use his name too. That part, she didn't understand, but it usually kept him in a fairly decent mood. She was a doctor, but not a psychiatrist; she couldn't even begin to analyze this broken creature with his twisted morals. But she knew that keeping him pleased meant it was much more likely that glint wouldn't be turned on her.

And she didn't want any of his men for company. Too few of them adhered to even his twisted morality.

"Oh, ho ho ho... but wouldn't you like to have someone to relate to? After all, I'm going to all this trouble to keep you comfortable. I even let you hit me. See?" He angled his cheek so she could clearly make out the faint scratches left under his eye after the last time she'd attempted to attack him.

She colored slightly, that one hadn't been intentional. That was the only reason she'd got him before he could read her intent in her body language. She had just been so angry...

"Yes, I know you have gone to great lengths for me. And I really didn't mean that one... I had no idea my nails had gotten so sharp. That's why I wouldn't want you to trouble yourself more by trying to find me company..."

Oh this was a minefield. But the doctor in her drove her to reach up and touch the scratches delicately, checking for infection and inflammation. Keep him happy. Don't offend him. This was her chant. Anything to keep her child.

"Wounds of battle, my Queen." He waved her off and waltzed around to the other side of the table to lean on both hands with his chin. "Now then, let's answer honestly, shall we? Are. You. Lonely?"

Kaya sighed. "A little. But you know perfectly well why. If we're being honest, I have honestly told you what I think of your men... and the way I've seen them looking at me. When I see such things, it rather sours me to the idea of company."

Both hands cupped her belly protectively, that had been another angry day. There had been a lot of screaming on her part. And an awful lot of men had been thrown overboard to swim for Jaya when Kaya had told—or rather screamed at—Bellamy the things she'd heard them threaten to do.

"You're the best company on the Wonderland, and you have other things to tend to than an often angry... Queen, Bellamy."

"Ah, that's better. It does make me feel so much better to hear you being honest." His cheek twitched at the word, a forgotten memory perhaps, or a long over-used phrase. "That is why I've decided to reward you. This evening we'll have a guest. And I want you to be on board to welcome our White Queen. So, make sure you're stunning as usual! It's sure to be a blast."

With that he breezed out of the room, a literal spring in his step, and the lock slammed into place to the sound of his maniacal laughter echoing through the mostly empty halls.

Kaya went white. Another guest? Another Queen?! Queen was his specific term; 'queen' only applied to one kind of woman: a pregnant one. While he might not harm them, even she knew there was going to be psychological repercussions from this. He was going to do this to some other woman?

"Oh no," she moaned, hands covering her face as she sank down further in her chair.

In the name of all the Gods, she prayed, let him fail. He'd be in a terrible mood for days, but please, whatever was listening, protect that other woman! However, the only thing that might have listened to her silent pleas was the wind.

On the other side of the door, cloaked in shadows, as always, the most slippery woman on the Wonderland adjusted her glasses. This was not good in the least. She felt an uncharacteristic panic well up in her throat, and breaking her place faster than she thought anyone could see, she dove for the next door, Blueno's Key at the ready. She hesitated only a moment, looking from one side to the other, consumed with the need to inform the others of what the psychotic Slinky was planning. Her heels echoed as she took the first few steps, then the coiling of a spring made her glance over her shoulder. Her eyes went wide, her mouth dropped open and she may even have screamed, she wasn't sure, but Bellamy exploded through the door just before it closed completely, something that he was only able to do thanks to her absolute pressing desperation to get to Lucci and Kaku.

"Wha—N-NO!"

Tackled by two of what the Hyena was calling his 'Cards', the bulky men in spade-shaped hats were immediately treated with a wet bar of soap through their hands. She flipped over their arms, and dashed down the corridor between places, using bubbles on her feet like skates. But it was nothing compared with the velocity Bellamy could achieve, which he proved as he rocketed past her to bring a spring-loaded heel into her stomach.

"Now, now, now, we can't have you ruining all the fun, Rabbit. Our guest needs to be surprised for everything to turn out ok." He bounced up to her prone form. She hadn't even had time to use her Tekkai before he was on her again, pinning her down with coils of steel shaved from the dead skin on his arms like the scrape of a file against a blank. "Thank you so much for showing us your hole. We were quite interested in how you got to and from Wonderland." He turned to the Cards. "Take her to the Tea Room with the Red Queen, and serve her from the Dormouse's stash."

"You can't do this! They'll kill you! You'll pay for this, Hyena! You'll never be what the Joker was!" Kalifa screamed as they hauled her away, for some reason her bubbles kept popping as they touched the steel of her bindings.

Bellamy's whole body actually twitched at the mention of his previous master. "WHAT HE WAS!? I'M A MILLION TIMES WHAT THAT BASTARD WAS!!! I WILL GO DOWN AS A LEGEND WHEN I'M DONE!!!!"

He started to go after her but a calm hand on his shoulder brought his psychotic rage to heel. "Now is not the time, Bellamy-chan. Fosh fosh fosh."

The blond growled at the other, but spun on his heel and stalked down the non-hallway on springs because the motion made him giggly. By the time he reached the other door, he was all smiles and laughter again. In fact, it was his laughter that preceded him when the Cards broke open the other end of Blueno's tunnel.

"Queen, oh Queen, I've come to take you to your throne!" He cackled, exploding through the door with both feet aimed at the back of Jyabura's head.

The wolf's ears swiveled and he was just barely able to dive out of the way, rolling to his feet or rather paws as he slipped immediately into wolf form and turned on the spring man, snarling and clawing.

Lucci launched himself backward—the 'queen' Bellamy was after could only be his client. Jyabura could keep the bastard occupied while Lucci got her to safety, or at least he hoped the wolf could keep him off that long. The fact that Bellamy was here, that he had successfully infiltrated, showed a disturbing level of cunning. And it meant Kalifa had been captured. Possibly killed. His mind raced as his leopard legs carried him forward. Had he always known her double-agent status, or merely used it to his advantage? And God damn it, how did he know about CP9's connection?!

"Ah, ah, ah. Bad kitty! You shouldn't run... you should disappear!" Springs shot out of the Hyena's arms aiming for Lucci as a pair of Cards pounced Jyabura. The blond cackled, speeding after the leopard, not distracted by the wolf at all. "Come out, come out, wherever you are, Queenie! We've come to take you home. The Cheshire Cat can even come too! IF he can get it up that long! AH HAHAH HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

He bounced from wall to wall, knocking over furniture and shattering anything breakable.

"FUCK YOU, SPRINGTOY!" the massive cat roared as he thundered on, not bothering to do so over his shoulder. It echoed well enough—hopefully all the way to the 'queen' to inform her things were not right. "THE WORLD GOVERNMENT DIDN'T GET ME, THEIR FUCKNUT ASSASSIN TEAM THAT REPLACED MINE DIDN'T GET ME, AND THE PIRATE KING HIMSELF DIDN'T GET ME! LIKE HELL I'LL DISAPPEAR!"

He, of course, didn't know that Bellamy meant 'hide'. He didn't realize he was the Cheshire Cat. The only 'disappear' he knew, the only one any CP9 agent knew, was to die. Where the fuck was Kaku?! He ducked both fists and clawed them as they retracted, but did not dare slow his manic run.

Jyabura howled and fought, biting, clawing, snarling, howling, and using every trick he possibly could. Deception was no good but brute strength he had. It just wasn't fucking working fast enough!

There seemed to be an endless supply of Cards, and why the fuck did they keep getting back up!?!?! It was like they were possessed or something! Broken jaw? No problem. Sidesweep to the legs? Piece of cake. Spitting up blood? Not worth sweating over. WHAT WAS THEIR PROBLEM?! It didn't take long for the sheer massive numbers to overwhelm the canine, holding him down with their own oddly shaped shackles. For some reason they felt like hands binding his wrists and ankles.

"You are such a naughty kitty! I'll have to teach you how to play your part, and here I thought all this hiding was good practice! Hahaha!" Another shot of springs exploded the doorframe that the leopard was about to dart through. Where his queen was, the Hyena didn't know, but even if all he had to do was keep the Cat busy, his March Hare would ensure her capture. Nobody could escape the March Hare now that he had the powers he needed to create Cards.

Then out of nowhere a cry came through the wall, "Rankyaku! Shuriken!" And a flurry of energy blades sliced across Bellamy's path. The giraffe had arrived.

"Late to the party, White Knight? Aren't you always a step behind?" A spring wrapped around Kaku's nose, burning the kirin's flesh.

"AUGH!" He collapsed pawing at the white-hot metal.

Lucci felt the pull to help his comrade for only a second, but the man's true target was the one who really needed the protection. With a final snarl at his Command Second to Get The Fuck Up, the Chesire Cat disappeared. He didn't even go through a door, no flick, no twitch. He was just gone.

And he played right into Bellamy's hands. Kaku and Jyabura were not enough, there was no time to smuggle the Queen to safety.

The explosion that rocked the home was only preceded by a round of entirely too-satisfied laughter. Kaku and Jyabura's eyes went wide the second their sensitive hearing caught the plastic SCHNKT! of a switch being pressed. Then everything around them was hot, unbearably hot, and brown liquid of some sort was pouring over them as they were hauled in hand-manacles that somehow drained their very life-energy through Blueno's non-hallway. Kaku was vaguely aware that the large Door-man was also being manhandled by the Cards, but worse was the gleeful expression their captor had as he ran his hand over the impressive swell of the Queen's belly. She was unconscious, whether from the explosion or something else, the giraffe didn't know, but she hung limply in a large male's arms. He wasn't someone the swordsman knew, but the most distinctive features about him were the lion muzzle and hungry look in his empty eyes.

"G-get your hands off her!" Kaku mumbled against the spring around his nose and mouth.

Bellamy laughed heartily. "Still fighting the good fight, White Knight? Never fear, you'll have your chance against the Red Knight soon enough, but for now the White Queen sleeps safely in his arms. No harm will come to her." He drew a large hand over her belly again.

It made the giraffe growl and glare, but he said nothing more, as the smoke and debris from his home began to clear around them. The place was devastated, and the final glimpse he had of it, showed a yellow and black spotted tail sticking out from under the entirety of the roof and upper floors. His heart sank. Even their leader couldn't withstand that much force being dropped on him at once. He was sure of it.

The last sound heard on the island was the cackling of Bellamy's laughter as Blueno's Door closed. However, when it had completely disappeared, the shaft of sunlight coming through what was left of the second story, glinted off of a metallic object roughly three inches long, with a specific configuration of teeth and the head of a flamingo wearing sunglasses on the opposite end. It rested conspicuously next to the pile of rubble that covered the feline leader.

After a moment, the tail outside the rubble shot to life, wrapping around the key as Lucci shifted to Hybrid form and the sheer bulk of muscle forced the rubble up and off him. Taking the key, he jammed it roughly into the only door still standing and twisted, and when he opened the door his battered face was like thunder.

"You have to fucking do something about him. Look at this! He's out of fucking control—and apparently the rest of the world can't FUCKING stop him! He managed to develop fucking Haki and apparently good fucking allies!"

The other side of the door was very quiet for a moment.

"I know. But the biggest problem is that he's found himself someone new to pull his strings. And well, that just won't do."

A shift, and a long leg carried a longer body through the door to stand looking Lucci in the eye.

"Time to clean up my mess, fufufufufufu~!"


	17. The Alliance in Chaos! Return to Marineford!

Marineford was buzzing. The trainees were all trying their hardest to get a glimpse of the Fleet Admiral's office. Every time a group would run past, like clockwork, they would slow and crane their necks at the windows, which were all tightly covered. Then the lieutenants would yell about getting back to work, and the recruits would scramble to pick up their pace without tripping over one another, while the lieutenants secretly moved just the tiniest bit closer to the windows themselves hoping to get a peek at the legendary men and women behind the shutters.

It was all to no avail though, because on the other side of those windows, the glass was lined with some rather impressive people, all of them using their bodies to block what little the blinds didn't. To one side of the room sat the Pirates that sailed under the Strawhat flag, and to the other side sat the Parliament of the Revolution. All of these superpowers were gathered together for one reason... to keep their leaders from breaking the Alliance.

"What do you mean I can't just go get him!?"

The King of the Pirates was already pushing his boundaries, his first mate and his shipwright holding him back from charging at the Fleet Admiral, seated behind the impressive desk in the middle of the room. In front of him were two chairs. Only one of them was actually being used. The serious, quiet leader of the Revolution was glaring at the uproar his son was causing, but he said nothing, because though he couldn't afford to speak his mind, he agreed with the Pirate King.

The Fleet Admiral slammed his hand on the desk, face hard and stern with the backbone he’d grown all those years ago. "First of all, Luffy, I love you. You are my brother. But goddamn it, you cannot just go to Jaya, in the middle of Marine territory, and start busting things up and killing people! Regardless if they need to die, the Marines do not believe in killing if there is the possibility of imprisonment instead. Bellamy is a nasty little bug, but he's a fairly weak little bug, and can easily be captured and imprisoned! He'll suffer much longer in our prison than if you kill him."

The rubber man let out a roar of impatience. He'd never anticipated needing to convince Coby to let them pass, but it was the agreement they'd all come to when the three factions had allied to take on the Tenryuubito and the World Government in the Great War. So, to honor the innocents who had fallen thanks to the previous world order's corruption, Luffy knew he needed to uphold this treaty. He just didn't understand what was so difficult about taking down someone they all agreed had to be punished for what he'd done. Of course, therein was the trouble, the petulant snot had done it within Marine territory, and was hiding in Marine territory. So, technically Luffy didn't have jurisdiction to just go smashing things up and it drove him crazy because no matter how much he wanted to, he'd never break his word to his younger brother, the boy who'd risked his life to get the rubber man off Alvida's ship so long ago.

"Perhaps, part of the problem, if you'll pardon my intrusion, Fleet Admiral," the mellow baritone of the Strawhats' cook broke through the animalistic noises his captain was making, "is that Bellamy appears to not be as weak as we thought he was. True, Usopp and his crew weren't seasoned pirates, but Law and Kidd are, and somehow they were just as decimated. If I understand the report correctly, Kidd is still having trouble adjusting his shoulder mount." He glanced for confirmation from the red-headed co-Captain of the Neverland Pirates.

The color of pale the co-Captain was turned the slightest bit pinker with residual anger. "...My shoulder mount was crushed to shrapnel. I've had to rebuild it from scratch and I couldn't use the old one to give me proper blueprints. I haven't even finished properly rebuildin' it yet, much less gettin' it installed."

Coby sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "...point. But still, it's just not right to go in killing and ripping and roaring. Much as I'm sure you'd love to. Much as I'd love you to. We all know things aren't always what they seem, and who's to say that isn't true here?! I'd much rather you capture than kill!"

"And what do you want me to capture him with? My fingers!?" Luffy flailed wildly with one arm. "We destroyed the seastone, remember? The only intact bits left are the ones keeping Him contained at the base of Impel Down." Shaking himself free of his crewmates, the captain stalked up to the edge of the desk, a dangerous glare on his face, his next words more growled than spoken. "And you should very well know my opinion about that."

Proof that he could be restrained when necessary rotted away in a special cell, carved below Level 6, and lined entirely with seastone. If there was one person on the entire planet that Pirate King wanted to kill more than Bellamy, it was that man. Yet, once again, the treaty forbade him from doing so, as he was the previous Fleet Admiral, the last one under the World Government. Therefore punishment for the crimes he committed fell solely under the Marines' responsibility. Though, Luffy had made just as deadly a promise that should said former admiral ever see the light of day again, the rubber man would forego the treaty and take his head as slowly and as painfully as possible. It was the closest anyone had ever seen the normally jovial man get to being evil.

"And you know just as well exactly how I feel about that man, Luffy." Coby's voice was quiet and lined with steel and pain.

He’d had to be physically restrained, more than once, from allowing seawater into that room to drown the son of a bitch. Not that Luffy would know that, or anyone other than his trusted command second, Helmeppo.

It was, surprisingly enough, Kidd who saw it. Who read it in the Admiral's face and recognized it for what it was. "...You did it, didn't you? You hid some—no," his voice steadily rose in pitch and volume and he bolted to his feet. "You remade them! Didn't you, you half-pint son of a bitch?!"

The Fleet Admiral's voice was quiet and vicious. "No. We did not unearth any more seastone or remake the old cuffs. But there were certain weapons that could not be safely decommissioned, only hidden away."

Kidd was bristled to his full height and there was death in his wine-red eyes. "LIKE FUCKING WHAT?!"

Coby's glasses glinted as he looked straight at Robin. "...Like Mars."

The Strawhat archaeologist's eyes widened a fraction and she stepped forward. "The Mars Project was completed?"

"And successful. We discovered it months after the treaty and the Great War; ready to be used to wipe out all opposition."

"Mars Project?" Luffy was confused, which drained his anger for the moment, as he looked back and forth between the Fleet Admiral and his archeologist.

The quiet, angry voice from his right brought him whipping his head around, but the tattooed man was frowning with suspicion at the third World Leader. "Why was this information kept secret? It was part of the agreement that knowledge of all weapons and techniques be exchanged among us so there was no cause for distrust. Tell me, Fleet Admiral, what else have you been hiding and why I shouldn't take this offense as cause to enact the dissolution of our alliance?"

Coby stood, hands behind his back as he leveled his gaze at the older Monkey in the room. "Frankly, Mr. Dragon, because information this sensitive can only be given very carefully, face to face. The walls have ears. Here. In other places. Even in your stronghold. The only way information like this can be conveyed is by way of a face-to-face meeting. This meeting. Here. Now. And I will not be describing the project. Ms. Robin knows the details and they do not bear speaking aloud."

The stoic woman nodded, mouth a hard, thin line. "And I assume... because of the particular manner in which it is powered... you cannot disconnect it. That was supposed to be one of the 'safeguards' after all."

The Fleet Admiral's lip curled in a sneer. "Yes. And all other such sensitive topics have also been kept under the rug, as it were. Like the Cage."

This time it was Zoro who stiffened, hand falling to his swords. "The fucking H-Cage?"

"Yes. ‘The fucking H-Cage’." Coby nodded, mimicking the green haired Supernova’s speech.

The swordsman’s thumb popped Wadou before anyone could stop him and it was out. "Why does it exist? Why shouldn't I gut you where you stand?"

"Because, as you know, Haki explodes when you break the current," The pink-haired male barked, "and even just the Cage would take out nearly a fourth of the Grand Line!” Taking a moment to calm himself as the clashing personalities in the room made the air heavy and straining. He rubbed his temple, taking a drink from the glass of water Helmeppo had at the ready with a grateful smile. Then he continued, more calmly, “We've been looking for ways to decommission, but... the conduits cannot be interrupted. And the H-Cage was kept strictly for a situation like this."

"Precisely what Coby-boy means, Zoro-boy," The voice of the Okama Queen's voice drew attention to him, "is that because we can't use seastone to capture the distasteful urchin, we can use the H-Cage. We just need to get him into position, and I'm sure Mugiwara-boy can do that, provided he's allowed to get there."

The subtle hint Ivankov gave was accompanied by the curl of his lips and a finger on his chin in what was surprisingly a very adorable gesture. Luffy grinned heartily at the man who'd saved his life more times than he could count. A murmur of agreement rumbled around the room and it seemed that both factions were discussing the proposal amongst themselves for the moment. Even the King of Pirates and the Revolutionary President seemed to be considering the possibility of using that method.

Again Dragon spoke, "It would require all three of us be there to maintain it against his defiance."

"Actually... we can't use the H-Cage. L-look, just-" The Fleet Admiral raised both hands against the resulting uproar. "LOOK! The cage isn't kept here, we'd have to go get it, and transporting the blasted thing is nearly as dangerous because if any conduit takes damage and breaks, it goes 'boom', got it?! That remote possibility is a last resort only, okay?! Actually, I shouldn't have mentioned it, because that cage is also the perfect way to take every single one of us out! While we're maintaining the cage against Bellamy, all one of his crew has to do is chip one bar, one fucking bar, and we're all blown to Hell and chaos and murder will reign again!"

Even Kidd subsided at that, a general murmur of deference running through the gathered super powers. It was true. Bellamy and all his crew would gladly sacrifice themselves and everyone nearby to take out all the world's ruling bodies at once.

"So, we're back to what do we do? I can't catch him, your soldiers can't catch him, you won't let me kill him, and he can't stay loose doing whatever the Hell he wants! Kami only knows who he'll go after next!" Luffy flung his arms out and flopped down in his chair, exasperated.

Behind him, Sanji lit a new cigarette, Usopp found his kabuto's strings suddenly very interesting, and various others shifted uncomfortably as the weight of what had just been revealed pressed in on them. Someone broke out a flask of rum and it started making its way around the room, as the meeting seemed to have ground to a halt. The more rambunctious of the assembly were mollified by the alcohol and the more patient lost in their own thoughts about how to solve the problem. It just seemed like nothing else could possibly make the situation worse.

Then the door slammed open to admit a bruised, battered, hat—and most of the rest of his clothes—missing, bleeding, Rob Lucci. One eye was blackened and swollen shut, and his mouth had been curled into a perpetual snarl he didn't seem aware he was even making anymore. He was shaking where he stood, and his tail hang limply at a broken angle. For being in his largest form, he suddenly looked frighteningly small and frail.

"Wha—"

"The fuck—?!"

"Is that—?"

A blurry amber gaze swept the room before finding the man it sought. It focused on Luffy with more force than it had even all those years ago when they were fighting each other to the death. The man stumbled several steps towards the Pirate King to the sound of audible gasps, and was able to force one growled sentence past his split lips before he collapsed.

"He has Her."

The rubber man frowned in confusion for a minute, then his eyes went wide and ice settled into his spine. Then he spoke, cold and quiet, "Coby, you have to let me get him!"

Coby was confused, head whipping back and forth between the bleeding Zoan-user and his almost-brother. "Wait… what? Luffy, what did he mean? Who has who?!"

Slamming both hands on the desk, the rubber man was breathing heavily. "BELLAMY HAS MY WIFE!"

The entire room went silent, all eyes focused on the center, and even out into the training grounds around the office, all movement stopped. The air was thick, heavy with tension, and the color drained from most of the faces around the gathered crowd. Though not all in the congregation supported the fact that the Pirate King was married, or who he was married to, they all understood the weight of such an implication. Ivankov fell back into his chair, Inazuma fanning him quickly to avoid the Okama Queen passing out under the stress. Sanji shuddered, wrapping his arms around his ribs. Usopp looked to the floor, the shadow of his hat hiding his deep glare. Smoker, who had been one of the marines guarding the door, ran a hand through hair with a heavy exhale. Dragon was suddenly very glad he’d decided to leave his second-in-command with the civilians. Lord only knew what Sabo would do if he knew the whereabouts of his sister-in-law.

Even the fact that she was Luffy's wife was one thing—and bad enough given how many allies he had—but more importantly, Bellamy had kidnapped the Pirate Queen. The ramifications of that rocked the entire meeting room.

Surprisingly the first voice to break the pressing silence was one that at its core despised the woman who'd stolen the rubber man's heart. One, former Shichibukai, and empress of Amazon Lily, Boa Hancock, self-proclaimed true love of the man Monkey D. Luffy.

Her voice shook, "L-Luffy... this may not be the time to bring it up, but perhaps with N-her captured it would be best to clear it up. There is a rumor that she's pregnant. Is she?"

"Yeah." Luffy hung his head, his shoulders sagging, as those who didn't know gasped.

"I-IVA-SAMA!" Inazuma cried, as the large Okama fainted.

Coby's hands had turned into tight fists. His shoulders were stiff. And when his voice emerged, it was a snarl. "Smoker. Bring me the collars."

What he meant specifically were Doflamingo's decommissioned slave collars. With Haki so unstable, they were the best way to subjugate a difficult prisoner. Especially since a little known fact was that most of them had a trace of seastone in them. Just enough to prevent escape should the wearer have a Devil Fruit power.

The aging Marine stepped out of the room in a plume of his namesake to delegate the task to Tashigi, knowing full well how volatile things could get should the balance of power be shifted in any way off center. Then he re-entered the room to wait for his second-in-command, and rumbled, with decades of tobacco use roughening his voice.

"On their way, Sir. But, if I may speak freely?"

Coby nodded to Smoker. "Permission granted, as always, Admiral."

"Perhaps, this once, Sir, we should let Mugiwara have his way." The older man cleared his throat, a bit embarrassed by the fact that he was even thinking about agreeing with the Pirate who had been the bane of his existence under the old regime. "There is only so far one can control a man when his wife and child are in danger."

The pink haired man's eyes cut to Smoker with shock. Then he sank into his chair with a heavy thud and rubbed his forehead. "I... fuck. Fine. Fine!"

Kidd had his face buried in his hand when a thought occurred. His voice was raspy and thick. "...Law?"

"I believe it is time the plaything paid for his transgression against my father." The Surgeon of Death spoke quietly, and in the din of the commotion about the room only those seated closest to him could hear his deadly words.

"No, Law, you're—you're missing it," Kidd rasped, grabbing his lover by the lapels, voice low and his eyes suddenly bright and wild. "Bellamy was the old man's plaything. He’s a broken toy. What was Don's Number fucking one Rule?"

"I haven't missed it, Eustass." Law hissed, and repeated. "As I said, he needs to pay for his transgressions against my father." The emphasis was clear that time.

"Does it count as a transgression when he's only followin' the fuckin' rules?"

Law stilled, as color drained from his face and he looked vaguely like he was going to be sick.

Robin touched the redhead’s shoulder. "Which rules, Kidd-san?"

The co-captain's voice rose so the whole room could hear, "Doflamingo’s Rules. Specifically, One and Two: Never harm a kid and adopt them as yer own!" There was a beat of confused silence. Then the master of magnetism elaborated, "He's going to steal Nami's baby!"

Again silence descended on the room, and the suddenly looming presence of the Pirate King was all the warning he got before the rubber man pulled the redhead up by his shirt, "He's gonna do WHAT with my son?!"


	18. Game Set! Plan for a Counter-Attack!

In the next instant, the all-too deadly scythe blade from Neverlands' second-in-command was attempting to press against Luffy's neck. If it wasn't for his captain's power, surely the Pirate King would have at least lost an arm. The quivering blade seemed to be the icon for the hushed tension throbbing about the room as though the man's voice had been reinforced with Haki. The echoes of his words rang in everyone's ears. Robin had to forcibly sit down at the magnitude of her misunderstanding. Brook and Franky looked relieved. Even Sanji quirked a small smile at the declaration. Many of the Parliament, including Luffy's father, appeared confused at the Strawhats' responses. Obviously the contentions about whether the Pirate King would acknowledge the child was something kept entirely under wraps. A few shifted their gazes from captain to captain trying to piece the puzzle together but without all the facts all they could do was frown in silent confusion.

Then, out of nowhere, the door to the Fleet Admiral's conference room flew open with a bang. Tashigi stumbled through the opening, apparently tripping over the toes of her own shoes, to sprawl at her commanding officer's feet. "Ah! S-Smoker-taishou! There's... he wouldn't... I tried to..."

The source of the chaos, stepping over the fallen woman lightly, his black cloak draping across her face for a moment, as he grinned out at the congregation, bangs spilling over his scarred cheek, and flanked by two of his finest officers, was none other than the last of the Four Emperors, Red-Hair Shanks. He grinned in the way of his King, both past and present.

"So, what I miss?"

The silence around the room ratcheted up a notch or two, with disbelief, but was shattered completely when Kidd, still hanging from Luffy's grasp and holding Killer back with his magnetism, blurted out, "Bellamy's kidnapped Nami so he can take Luffy's son and raise him as his own!"

"But, what will that accomplish?" Conis, as one of the two representatives from Skypiea, was the first to break out of her daze.

Similar sentiments ran through the others, the slight girl's question acting as the catalyst for everyone else's confusion, and it seemed, at least to Shanks' way of thinking, that even though he was late to the party, nobody else had any more of a clue about what was going on than he did. So, he stepped around the bodies clamoring for answers to approach the man he saw as a sort of son. The two met eyes, and Luffy released Kidd, which had the domino effect of making Killer back off, and releasing the tension from Law and Bepo, who, although neither had moved much, were both on the edge of their seats. This drew everyone's attention back to the Pirate King.

"So, why would Bellamy wanna do that?" Shanks repeated, draping his arm around Luffy's shoulders in support.

Kidd swallowed hard as he watched Killer fade back into the shadows behind Law and Bepo. He'd been abnormally tense since Kidd's arm had... ceased to function. The captain’s hand dragged through his hair, which was still almost standing on end from the tension he felt. He knew his answer wasn't going to please anyone present and just thinking about the reactions he was going to get, especially from the love of his life, made his stomach clench and his heart leap into his throat, making it husky and hoarse despite Luffy only grabbing his shirt and not his neck.

"You ain't gonna believe it..."

Robin's eyes on him were sharp and penetrating. "Try us."

The younger redhead swallowed a second time, "Yer never gonna think someone could be this stupid."

Brook snorted. Bellamy had already proven more stupid than anyone could have anticipated when he attacked their Nakama.

Zoro's already extra-short patience snapped. "Just fuckin' get on and tell us!"

Kidd swallowed again, this time more of a gulp than anything, and his eyes slid unwillingly to his co-Captain. "...Don started his empire jus' by adoptin' strays an' makin' 'em part o' th' family. Bellamy's tryin'a become th' next Doflamingo... startin' wit' the most promisin' kid he can find."

"Not possible." Luffy growled, his shoulder hard as stone under his mentor's hand. "There's only ever going to be one Don."

If not for the rubber man's violent refusal, the surgeon might have been unable to hold onto his own reaction to his lover's words. As it was he hunched his back just a bit, so that the collar of his trench coat rose to meet the edges of his hat, covering his entire face in shadow. He had been that child for Doflamingo, and though he didn't show it often, he was grateful to the man for taking him in. The big difference though, was that he had been an orphan, living on the streets after an altercation with the Marines had leveled his town. The Pirate King's babe had a family, and he couldn't fathom how someone who undoubtedly knew all of The Rules could possibly justify a move like that. Unless the plaything didn't believe he could truly win against the might of the Pirate Empire. That thought made it almost possible for him to pay attention to the continued rumbling of the council.

The next sentence to break through his train of thought came from Dragon's mouth, low and dangerous, "Then why are we still sitting here while my grandchild is in danger?"

All eyes turned to the Fleet Admiral at the head of the room.

Coby had his head in his hands and his shoulders were shaking as he breathed rapidly. He was hyperventilating. It took him several moments to acclimate to the raised Haki/Killing Intent in the room crushing down on him, his gasps slowly coming to a stop before he braced himself on shaking arms and looking around at the gathered people.

This congregation was made up of the most powerful in the whole of the world. And they were waiting on him. It was almost enough to make him start hyperventilating again, but a subtle nod from his command second, the plume of his most trusted Admiral, and the dedication of the man he called his brother strengthened his backbone.

"Let's go. We'll improvise, maybe just keep him doused with seawater until we can imprison him properly. We'll wing it. We have no time to waste debating." He pulled himself together to become the formidable man he'd been molded to be: The Fleet Admiral.

The master of magnetism snarled as he pulled his lover up. "Ya heard th' man. Let's go!"

Though Kidd had been the loudest, the sentiment was echoed by the rest of the gathered Pirates and Revolutionaries, including the Mugiwaras.


	19. A Moment of Calm Before the Storm - Part 1

"Uh, Bobby?" The shipwright peered into his fiancé’s library.

The word still gave him a thrill, even though most of their time was spent preparing for the assault on Jaya. The Thousand Sunny had been retrieved from Raftel, where she'd been retired after Luffy gained One Piece, and for the last several days, Franky and the various other shipwrights from the Revolutionaries, Coby's Marine contingency, and the punks from Galley-La had been set to work, upgrading the Pirates' flagship. The Flying Pan and the Mecha Lotus were also outfitted with upgrades and repairs. Truth be told, the entire fleet needed to have work done to it, so the blue-haired cyborg had been able to bury his discontent in work. Now that things were finally beginning to come to a conclusion, he wanted to touch base with the woman he felt was the most important in the world, but...

Robin didn't respond, muttering to herself as she paced back and forth in front of an enormous replica map of Jaya. She was trying to find the best approach, but it was difficult. Even with what Brook had been able to tell her, it was hard to be sure Bellamy hadn't changed his layout, or that Brook had remembered all the details right—not that she would blame him if he didn't because after the sea-water torture he'd described nobody could fault him getting mixed up.

Besides, 'Bobby' wasn't here for the time being. 'Bobby' had been locked up in a strongbox in the corner of her soul. She would let her out later, once they had thoroughly taken care of Bellamy.

As seemed to be the case with her more and more these days, Franky found himself at a loss for words. The large man stepped into the room carefully to avoid disturbing any of her charts. "Uh... some of us 're gonna grab somethin' ta eat, did ya wanna come with? It's not as good as th' All-Blue o'course, but Dragon's kitchen's pretty extensive."

She paused, hand on the wall, before releasing a breath that wasn't quite a sigh and tipping her hat up just slightly. She calmly turned from the map, covered in indecipherable scribbles only she and Nami understood, though some were obviously unpleasant.

"...I suppose I should. I will be able to plan better on a full stomach."

"Yeah." His reaction was somewhat more subdued than normal, and his fingers twitched to reach out to her. How long had it been since he'd felt her kiss? "Uh..."

She knew she was alienating him, and inside her heart ached. But that was behind the ice wall, inside the box. She could not let herself be distracted. Not this close to the crucial point. To fight a monster... sometimes one had to become a monster.

Reaching out to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear, he winced when she ducked away from his touch, and his hand coiled into a frustrated fist. His mouth set in a hard line, the angle of his eyebrows causing his sunglasses to fall down onto his nose, and he turned to leave, tense and hurt.

"It's ready whenever you are... Robin."

The little flinch she couldn't quite control was witnessed by nothing but his turned back, and she pulled her hat down further to shade her eyes and hide whatever treacherous emotions may have escaped as she silently struggled to slam the box shut again and lock it tight.

She hoped that when it was safe for Bobby to come out again, Franky wouldn't be too hurt to receive her. If he refused her... One more sacrifice. One more for the sake of her Nakama. For them, she would give up anything, even the man she loved and her very soul.

When he received no answer, the shipwright sighed and moved away, back up the gangplank and into the fortress carved into the side of the Red Line that connected Marineford and Ryuunosu. It was something of a hike but having an accessible port on both sides of the giant strip of land was worth the stairs and elevators and twisting hallways. In lighter, peaceful times there was something of a game among recruits and students to see how long it took them to get lost going from one side of the capital city to the other. But now, under threat of the biggest war the world had seen since the fall of the World Government, there was no laughter echoing the steel-lined corridors. So, every step the cyborg took away from the woman he called home sounded like the thunder of a thousand outraged voices.

He entered the mess hall just as Sanji, Flambé, and their combined team of cooks opened the serving lines for the starving mob of people. The atmosphere here was more jovial, the three factions more or less ribbing each other and proud of their own allegiance, but Franky took no part in it. He merely grabbed a bowl of the blond's famous All-Blue Chowder, made from five different fish—one native to each ocean—and a bottle of cola to sit on his own in the corner of the huge galley, an isolated island of melancholy.

Robin did not enter at all. A line of arms and eyes brought a small portion of soup to her and that was all she ate. She had lost her appetite. She let herself have one, private, moment of sorrow. Two tears in an empty bowl.

Then she thoroughly slammed herself back into the role she must play, the only role in which she was any good because as Robin she was lost and scared, as she had been the day she’d been cast out to sea by a benevolent marine. But Miss All-Sunday? She had survived that tragedy! She knew how to plan, how to think on her feet, how to break emotionally-charged situations into their core parts so she could use them in their most effective manner. Miss All-Sunday didn’t need a navigator to keep her from getting lost.

She returned to her maps and her plans and her strategizing. And her fantasizing. It was all that kept her sane some days. Imagining exactly what she would do to the man who had torn her Nakama apart so thoroughly should there be anything left of him once those who had personally been hurt had their chance. Her latest one was to shave him into bits of scrap metal and have Franky weld him into the Mecha Lotus's as a decoration where, constantly battered by sea spray but welded on, he could never escape being repeatedly dunked in seawater like he had done to Brook.

Sometime after the line of hands disappeared; Usopp joined Franky in his corner. Then Brook took a seat nearby, and Sanji brought them all drinks from behind the counter. Zoro was off to the side somewhere, and Luffy rested his back against the wall above them, balanced on a rafter. All in all, the aura of determination hung around the core Strawhats like a cloud of darkness, warding most people off.

Though, among their allies, several were not 'most people'. So, it wasn't long before a certain black-haired co-captain was strolling past their Corner of Despair with his partner in tow.

He stopped, the corner of his mouth curled, and his brows drew together. "It seems like quite a party going on over here, ne?"

"Everybody prepares fer shit in 'eir own way, doc," Kidd grunted, wine-red eyes skating over the gathering of men, hand still twirling a screwdriver, and barely taking in any of his surroundings and the Strawhats’ situation.

His brain was still locked into Mechanic Mode, the frame of mind he required to create, repair, and keep track of his mechanical inventions. In fact, Law had dragged him, snarling and resisting, from the workbench where he'd been building a brand-new mechanical arm. He'd barely finished the shoulder mount, and the only reason he'd come was so Law would agree to install it tonight.

He needed to get it done and as long as he was well enough to stand up and weld the little wires, he was going to fucking do it. It simply had to be ready.

"Yes, well, as long as everyone is preparing such that they remember to fuel themselves. Having all of you meatheads relying on those of us with more intelligence in the last moments of battle all because you forgot to eat is just asking for us to leave you to die." The surgeon's eyes flashed with something that he refused to elaborate on, but he shifted his gaze to the head chef, "I know I have at least one supporter, ne, Cook-ya?"

"Hm?" The blond was a bit distracted, but sharp blue eyes darting over the gathered crew had him nodding. "Yeah. I've no desire to have to play Prince Charming to the lot of you sorry excuses for muscle mass because you didn't have the brain cells to eat when there was good food available. With this many people, there's no guarantees of seconds."

The last was directed deliberately at the rubber man, who against all odds, had been so anti-social lately that they'd actually had to force him to eat. If nothing else about him betrayed his inner turmoil, that did. It actually took some doing to make sure that the crews of the other Pirate ships weren't suspicious of their king's behavior. In retaliation of Sanji's comment, a hand snaked down to steal a biscuit from the tray balanced on the chef's shoulder. The blond gave a smirk and a nod, before handing a mug to Law.

"The tea you asked for, Trafalgar-san."

"Ah, thank you." The brunette smiled secretively over the steaming brew and sipped at it with a pleased expression pulling at his usual smirk.

Something clicked wrong in the gears that ran Kidd's mind and the grinding noise was damn near audible. To Law, who was intimately familiar with how Kidd's mind worked, it was actually audible. This malfunction stemmed from a simple fact: the ‘Law’ gear and the 'tea' gear did not fit together. Law couldn't stand the lack of caffeine for long; he would pass the fuck out without some kind of stimulant in his body and caffeine was the safest.

The dark red eyes came around to examine the brew, already switching modes. Law only drank tea for one reason—he was sick, or anticipating being sick. Depending on what he was drinking, Kidd could usually tell what it was. He'd been with Law too long not to have picked up at least SOME of his medical knowledge.

The problem? Kidd didn't recognize this. He didn't recognize the leaf shape, or the smell. So it wasn't anything he was familiar with. Not exhaustion. Not a cold. Not the flu. But not a heart issue—he STILL couldn't get Law to tell him what the fuck was happening that he'd needed to drink all the fucking foxglove. And not any sort of sleep aid or bacteria fighter.

So then what the fuck was it? Kidd turned his attention on them both, body twisting around so Law was no longer holding him there.

Affecting to be startled, the surgeon raised an eyebrow, smiling around his mug. "Troubles, beloved?"

Sensing the Neverland co-captains needed a moment alone, the Strawhats busied themselves with their own food, turning their backs and shoulders deliberately away from their allies.

"Grrr," was the default response for anything Kidd was either unable to properly verbalize, or had nothing to verbally reply with. There had been a lot of such growls back in the beginning, when the poor musclehead had been trying to explain what was 'wrong' with him in terms the doctor would understand. It had been quite awkward to have a growl replace every other word... he still didn't know how Law had managed to interpret it.

Thus, he didn't reply any other way as he wrapped his huge hand around Law's a pulled the mug up, sniffing at it like the animal he more or less was. His nose twitched and his eyebrows drew together. It was a faint memory. Very faint. Some sort of fruit. A berry? Blackberry? No, that had a sharper scent. Unconsciously, he tried to pull Law in closer with the arm that was no longer there as he sniffed again at the steam, puzzling it out.

"What you're looking for is raspberry." His lover replied casually, as though they were discussing the weather, but his amusement rested comfortably on his face.

"Raspberry?"

Kidd’s frown got deeper as he searched his memory. He knew he'd heard Law prescribe it before. But what for? It was always women, he remembered that...

Wait... women...

Pregnant women.

Pregnant...

His pupils turned into pinpricks and he clamped his jaw on the first words that wanted to tumble out of his mouth. If he said that in public, Law would slap him until his head spun and he wouldn't get any sex for a year.

Instead he just breathed deeply, several times, and let go of the mug to pull Law in with his hand. "...I think we need'a have a talk, Trafalgar."

"Oh, this should be fun." The lanky brunet allowed himself to be escorted from the mess hall with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

He waved to the others with a lift of his mug, and as one, Luffy and Usopp turned to Sanji, who shrugged in the same manner that he used when asked about his recipes. He was filling an order from a customer. Beyond that, he claimed to know nothing. It was generally safer that way, though the gathered Strawhats didn't seem to think so, and pounced on the blond in an attempt to get more information out of him.

Kidd escorted him all the way to their own ship's kitchen, where he proceeded to snarl in his fiercest voice that they weren't to be disturbed and locked the door before sitting down, his fist on the counter. Law had managed to instill some manners in him over the years, and with only one hand, this was his approximation of waiting patiently with his hands folded.

"Law, I know what that's prescribed for. This information applied to the fact that you hate tea, especially herbal which is decaffeinated, combined with the fact that you're fuckin' scary smart, means I would like an explanation."

"It's quite simple, Eustass-ya. I'm pregnant." The surgeon took a sip of his tea, waiting for the explosion he knew was sure to follow such a bomb.


	20. A Moment of Calm Before the Storm - Part 2

There was a sound like something spring-loaded being deployed and Kidd exploded up out of his seat. "WHAT?! HOW?! I mean fuck Law, I know yer good, but that oughta be fuckin' physically impossible! Even fer you! I remember that-that-that," his voice choked, "discussion about reproductive fuckin' parts you made me—HOW?!"

His voice was nearly a shriek as he paced, bouncing around their spacious kitchen as he grappled with the impossibility that had been pounded into his head years and years ago when one day he'd been stupid, turned to Law and said "let's have kids". The surgeon had made it very clear that children were not in their life options.

"Well, that was then, and this is now. I had to do something to pass the time while you were meddling with that blasted compass."

The brunet was referring to the months where his lover had been obsessed with creating a way for all Pirates to find the All-Blue from no matter where in the New World they were. It had been a rather boring several months, but the question that he'd so vehemently squashed before had plagued him like no other. Within his Room, he was God. So, why couldn't he create a place for his beloved to procreate? Of course, that had turned into how long could he keep an organ working and functional outside of the body it was born in? Then there had been the Devil Fruit issues. Really, and truly, if it hadn't been for the troubles the Strawhats had faced, he wouldn't have been able to pull it off. Of course, now the timing just sucked, but there wasn't much he could do about it, the deed was done.

He explained all of this in a vastly technical and long-winded speech that he'd practiced several times to make sure he followed all of the steps in the correct order, because he was certain his lover wouldn't understand a word of it. Judging by the continued vacant expression, he wasn't wrong.

Kidd patiently waited until he was done, then put his hand on the table and leaned on it. "Law, ya know when ya get inta the science-medical-god thing ya do, ya lose me. I love ya, baby, but yer brain just leaves me the fuck behind. Speak stupid fer me. Ya did what? I mean seriously, I would've remembered fuckin’ within yer Room recently." He was sure he would have, since in the Room Law was God. They got into their weirdest, kinkiest shit there, since it was safe. "So run that by me one more time in layman's terms."

With a heavy sigh, Law rolled his eyes, and began again. "Three months ago, when we were up near Amazon Lily, and Hancock demanded that I come and give them all a check-up, I demanded that one of her virgin warriors be given to me in payment for my services. I took the woman's uterus and implanted it within myself. That evening we engaged in intercourse, or has my lovemaking become something that is so trivial you don't remember?"

"Oh no, I remember Amazon Lily Night... fuck you'd gone goddamn wild-ass crazy. Climbed me like a tree and… well, yer sayin' the whole reason ya blindfolded me an' stuck me in instead o' lettin' me lead wasn't ta re-establish yerself as a virile in-control male after bein' assaulted by women all day, but rather so you could use me like an insemination machine ta knock ya up?"

Now that he'd caught on, the redhead was sort of hurt. Why hadn't Law trusted him? Sure, the thought of girl parts kind of made him wilt, but this was Law, his amazing, sexy, hot as hell Doctor. He could get hard for him on command—the subterfuge hadn't been necessary.

"When you say it like that, Eustass-ya, it sounds disgusting." Unconsciously, the brunet crossed his arms over his ribs, and turned slightly away. "Perhaps I didn't want you to see something you could become attached to. Perhaps the thought of your endowments penetrating something that didn't inherently belong to me was bothersome! Perhaps I simply didn't want you to see me halfway between male and female!!"

His words increasingly grew tighter and sharper, betraying his inner turmoil. The game was no longer entertaining. Now that he was playing it, the risk to his own well-being was much greater than he'd first calculated. There wasn't anything to be done now, his father's Rules ensured that, but if it came down to it, he had a vivrecard for the Kuja girl. The child could go with her if he needed to be rid of it, though that possibility opened something like a numbing chill in the base of his spine.

Kidd massaged his temple with his hand, and his shoulder moved as he tried to raise the arm that wasn't there as well, making him glare at it. That was getting distracting.

"Okay, fair ‘nough. But just… just fer my peace a mind, I will never be attached ta girly parts. The second one ya gotta good point, an’ it's kinda weird now that I'm thinkin' about it. An' the third… erm... actually never mind. You'll hit me if I say that," his voice dropped to a mutter.

It was actually hot in ways he didn't want to examine too deeply to think of Law as a child-bearing being. He tugged on the collar of his shirt and coughed, redirecting his thoughts.

"But… um… anyway… Shit… How… no wait, if ya tell me the details I'll jus' get confused again. Okay. Fuck. Stress is bad fer babies and we're ridin' inta fuckin' battle. Dear gods." Rubbing his forehead, he groaned. Red was creeping up his neck as he struggled to adjust, but he still wasn't in the best of health. "Law, where's those headache pills ya give me...?"

Already feeling like he was mothering his lover, the surgeon let out another exasperated breath, and reached into the cabinet above the sink. "Here."

He crossed the room, set the bottle on the table with the top off, and drew a glass of water for the redhead to drink. Then he returned to where he'd been standing and hopped up onto the counter. Only on the Flying Pan would he dare make that move, at least with Sanji floating around, but his ankles hurt. He shook his head, refusing to concentrate on it. He knew the risks going in, though there hadn't been a threat beyond the normal wild lifestyle of a Pirate at the time, but that was beside the point. So, he didn't even bother bringing it up.

"Yes, we are going into battle. Yes, there is risk, but quite frankly, you cannot expect me to just sit this out. Ignoring the cliché of life going on regardless of outside forces, the plaything has flown the Joker's colors. He has insulted my family, and must answer for his crime. No one but the Strawhats has more claim than I on the Hyena's life. And, besides," He smirked proudly, "He'll not touch me. Not if he knows I am with child. You know The Rules."

The master of magnetism grinned a little sideways. "Oh I know 'em as well as he does."

He separated two pills and tossed them back with the water before getting serious again, pushing the glass aside and coming to stand between the spindly legs that somehow supported his lover. Cupping his cheek with his hand, he kissed the smaller man’s forehead, his eyes, his cheeks, and finally his lips in the most tender of ways. He wasn't good with words, but at least he could show Law how he felt.

"I know how ya get 'bout Don's flag. I can't blame ya. But we'd have ta tell him yer knocked, an' I kinna don't like tha'. Bellamy is one a Don's. He's trained. He's broken. But I gotta bad feelin', baby. My coat's tellin' me there's someone pullin' on the strings Joker left behind, an' whoever it is, I absolutely don't want 'em targetin' you."

"I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, beloved, but I fear they already are." His closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against his lover's. "How else do you explain the gall to fly that flag? If they weren't deliberately seeking us out, why bother with the Joker's colors? The plaything had his own flag to fly, and it isn't on Luffy-ya's banned list. I can't help but feel this is a message."

One of his oh-so-talented hands trailed across the craggy features of the redhead's face, before rubbing gently down his thick neck to the tense shoulder muscles continuing to try and move a limb that wasn't there. He wished fervently that he could find someone with an approximate build that he could simply replace the missing arm, but none were the right size. Or if they were, they had some other issue that prevented them from being used. It was endlessly frustrating on both ends.

Kidd's voice dropped to a growl. "Mebbe ta get Luffy's attention. Directly defyin' him. An' we both know Bellamy worshipped Don, he'd rather fly Don's flag than his own. Especially if he's aspirin' ta replace him."

His remaining arm wrapped around Law's waist and held him close as he forcibly relaxed the muscles, knowing without needing to ask what his lover was thinking. Even if Law could find an arm, Kidd wouldn't want it. He didn't want to steal from someone else what he had himself lost more or less honorably in battle.

The brunet sighed for a third time, allowing the last of his walls to come down because it was just the two of them, alone and locked in the galley of their own ship. "I suppose you're right, but I just can't help—Ungh!"

He spasmed, pain contorting his face, and his entire body curled around the trim midsection that was not his own. Without much warning, he shoved Kidd from him, tearing through his shirts as he did. Fear and pain combined to bring tears to his eyes. The places where his body was joined to the parts of the girl burned like they'd been dipped in acid and there was an empty feeling where his own stomach should have been, like it had been run through with something hard, twisted, and metal. He was panting, sweat building across his skin. Only one thing could cause this, and he prayed he was wrong.

"Eus... stass... get..." He blinked several times, trying to clear his vision, and waved a hand at his lover ineffectually to try and gain some space.

"Get what, get what?!"

The redhead was in full-on panic mode, power blazing through the ship to throw open every door as he roared for the goddamn doctor from the All Blue, his power rampaging first through the Mecha Lotus and startling Robin from her charts until it slammed through the All Blue to grab Sanji’s doctor by the metal end of his stethoscope and start dragging him. Bluntly, he was terrified: he knew Law had told him sometimes bodies rejected organs. It could kill the person, and that was what he thought was happening.

Across from him, with his torso bare, the defined line where the woman's midsection and Law’s own chest began to blur before their very eyes. He slid from the counter, one arm around his stomach and the other thrown up in an outward reaching motion. His hair, disheveled, fell into his face as he glared, and panted. He blinked several times to clear his vision, then power exploded from him, bathing the entire galley in his pale blue Room, though he hadn't said anything. Nothing could pass the boundary of his Room this time, meaning that when the All-Blue's doctor met the barrier, he slammed into it face first.

As the blur became bigger, the skin tone of the borrowed abdomen began to darken to match the surgeon's natural dusky complexion. He growled in fair mimicry of his lover, and tears, unbidden, burned down his cheeks under his glare. His dark eyes smoldered, locked with the crimson-wine that was his co-captain's. The hand around his middle clenched into a fist, as though a cylindrical object was impaling him, and blood poured from it. He coughed several times, dark, congealed clots escaping from between his lips, and for a moment, it seemed as though everything was collapsing in on the genius doctor. But then, as the color from the center of his body faded completely, the blood stopped, and the cramping began to ease.

He leaned heavily on the counter, panting and crying angrily, his voice strained, "Fuck! Fuck. Fuck. FUCK! Goddamned, motherfucking, piece of shit, bitch! I hope she rots in the Godforsaken pit of Hell designed specifically for idiots."

Kidd was trapped between the wall and the Room where the barrier had flung him after exploding outward, watching with worry and naked fear on his face. "Law? Law?! Fuck! Baby, talk to me, are you okay?! Are you alright?!"

He didn't bother even attempting to mask the sheer terror that had seized his every cell. His lover, his mate, of fifteen years had, for the first time EVER, lost control of his Room. It scared Kidd so deeply he could barely handle it, and at present was only managing to function because he was afraid if he weakened or passed out Law would leave him forever.

The brunet fell to his knees, heedless of the pool of quickly drying life fluid at his feet, swallowing huge gulps of air. His own panic was written across his face in plain fury, murder in his eyes and blood-stained teeth bared against the onslaught of what had happened. The hand that had been holding him up against the counter slammed into the floor, and several of the kitchen appliances split in half cleanly. Around his ribs a faint scar had appeared, like the site of a long-healed incision all the way around his body. Only the flicker of the lights showed that the skin was different there, and that barely raised line was the only trace of what had once been the separation between his own body and the parts that had belonged to the Kuja woman.

In a shaky voice, he called, "I'm fine."

The master of magnetism started to laugh—the hysterical laugh that usually preceded just one thing. His body twitched; he was resisting what his physical form was attempting to do from sheer force of will. "F-fine?! Yeah f-fuckin' right! You j-just spewed b-blood from every o-orfice a-and your Room w-went fucking cr-crazy, you are NOT FINE."

"You need to calm down, Eustass-ya..." The smaller man spoke slowly, though he made no attempt to move, and he swallowed several times against a wave of nausea.

More hysterical laughter, steadily rising in volume as the redhead’s shaking got worse. Much worse. "L-l-like HELL I c-c-can calm d-down! You n-n-n-nearly fucking d-d-d-d-DIED r-ri-right in-n-n front of me!"

The co-captain was starting to slur as well as stutter. A subtle shake of his lover’s head was all the denial the slender man could give. But it wasn’t enough. The shock had been too great. Law had only seen It happen twice, and knew it only happened when Kidd faced something that he truly, honestly, could not handle, mentally, physically, or emotionally. Really only one thing could trigger It—the threat, or apparent threat, of death actually befalling the surgeon. So, it was without a shadow of a doubt, that Law adding up the symptoms with the potential triggers of the current situation came to only one conclusion.

It was coming, with all the force of a freight train…The Total Reset

The brunet lifted his bloody hand from his stomach to reveal there were no wounds, where the blood that he hadn't vomited had come from was a mystery to all but the surgeon himself. He knew it was pointless, but he reached for his lover anyway. His Room was obeying him again, somewhat, but though it allowed the expulsion of the coffeemaker, in three pieces, it refused to open to allow the redhead inside. His instincts could tell that to do so would be dangerous, and thus, kept him from exposing himself to the threat.

"Eustass... please..."

"I-I-I can't. I g-g-got too s-sc-sc-scared," Kidd managed, with an apologetic whine, before his body beat out his mind and his system ground to a complete halt.

If he'd had his metal arm, or even the shoulder mount, it would have sparked like an electrical short as his nerve system reached critical overload and swept up and down the redhead's body like the current in a wire. His eyes rolled into his head and snapped shut. His body collapsed entirely, right into Law's Room, where it hung suspended like a leaf plastered to a glass dome… And the past twenty-four hours was wiped from his memory, both physical and mental, like a microchip passed over an electro-magnet.

Defeated, Law slumped back against the cabinets. His jeans were ruined anyway, so what did it matter anymore if he just sat there to regain his strength for a few moments. He let his head rest against the metal door, and exhaled in a frustrated sigh.

He spoke to no one conscious, "This is why I kept it from you, though it would have gone better if the bint hadn't decided to die just now." He looked down, lightly brushing his fingertips across the female midsection that would now be a part of his body for the rest of his life. "I pray he still wants you, little heart, because if he doesn't there is no one else to give you to."


	21. A Moment of Calm Before the Storm - Part 3

About five minutes later, Kidd fell through the barrier of Law’s Room to land on the floor with a groan. His hand came up to hold his head as he cursed in about five different languages native to the Grand Line. Who the fuck had dropped the freezer on his head again?

By then, Law was a bit better, though he still hadn't moved from the mess on the floor. It was no good him sitting somewhere else thanks to the stains on his jeans, and he didn't yet have the energy to clean up the now dry blood. So, he simply had his knees drawn up to his chest, and draped his coat carefully around his shoulders so as to not drag in the crimson filth, but still cover his torso.

"Back among the living again, are we, Eustass-ya?"

Managing to force himself into a sitting position against the wall, and snarling curses all the way, the larger man’s head was throbbing, forcing him to keep his eyes closed. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, owwww, oh fucking Red Line. I feel just like the time the ship's engine broke the moorings and fell on top of me, what the fuck happened?"

"You Reset... again."

The surgeon carefully ignored the 'engine incident' comment because logically, if he didn't mention that, he hoped his lover wouldn't notice that they were sitting inside his Room. Though it was permeable again, for the most part, he couldn't cancel it. The trauma of what had just happened had thrown his Devil Fruit ability into defensive mode. In here, he was God, and therefore, nothing could harm the growing life within him. All expecting mothers craved the ability to be able to hold all potential threats at enough of a distance that they were safe. Law just happened to be able to actually do it. Thus, he had determined that unless he felt completely safe wherever he was, his Room would be forcibly manifested to guarantee it. All in all it wasn't a bad idea, but chances were, Kidd would not approve.

The master of magnetism tried to pry his eyes open, and found that for the moment, he couldn't. "Fuck. I hate it when I Reset, I always forget important shit when I Reset—" He cut off abruptly, nose going up as though he was sniffing the air as his power reported to him what his surroundings 'looked' like because he seemed to be blind for the moment. "...Law? Why is the kitchen in... Shambles? And…what are those staples doing ringing your chest and hips?"

"..." The smaller male bit his lip. "It was the result of an experiment that has since gone awry. I hope you will not be disturbed by them, as they're permanent now."

A side effect of swapping out that much flesh with another meant that certain things had to be disconnected and then reconnected again. At least, as long as he wanted to be able to continue sailing with his crew, and not drag her along. There was a limit to how far a living being could go from its parts and remain living. Staples kept his internal organs connected the way they needed to be, thanks to Chopper. It was possible that he might be able to remove them, now that the abdomen was his permanently, but it wasn't a risk he was willing to take, given that the midsection he'd been born with was deceased.

Kidd subsided against the wall a bit, a bemused expression on his face. "Well, I guess it's okay. If they're permanent, hey, they're permanent. And at least I'll always be able to tell where you are now."

"You could do that anyway. I have my magnet in my hat." Law sighed quietly, still quite drained. "We should clean the kitchen before Bepo comes in and sees the mess I've made of it."

Kidd rolled his head on his neck, which made several disturbing crackles and popping noises followed by his face screwing up in pain. "Urgh. Fuck. I don't think I can move just yet, babe. Sorry. And you'll have to get me up to speed on what I don't remember, because... because I have this horrible feeling... that it was really fuckin' important. Nngh."

"That is problematic." Though the surgeon said nothing else, there was an obvious undercurrent of shared exhaustion between them.

Law tilted his head up and closed his eyes. He knew he should eat something. It would be the fastest way to regain what he'd lost in the assimilation of the Kuja woman's parts, but the mere idea of getting up and cleaning off, even if his loyal Nakama would raise a fuss over the mess, it just left him with a certain irritated humor that had him chuckling mirthlessly. Worse yet, the dried stain smelled of pickles to his nose. Why it should smell of fermented cucumbers, he could only chalk up to the wonders and mysteries of his situation, but it was adding to the shying away from food that had settled in his stomach.

"I'll call the boys. I'm sure whatever the fuck sent me into a Reset will be more than enough to placate them so they carry us to the infirmary. And maybe Sanji's kitchen. Heat and Killer can carry me... Wire and Penguin can handle you. Bepo will wanna put his kitchen back ta rights."

Immediately the brunet's head snapped up and anger flashed through his eyes, as he spoke, clipped words. "I will be fine."

"Law, I fucking Reset. Therefore you are not fine. And I know very well neither am I." The redhead had never had a Reset in his lifetime until he'd met his lover. Except when... when he'd lost them all. His first 'crew', just a bunch of kids, but—he pushed that from his mind. Bottom line was, he wasn't fine, which meant Law couldn't possibly be fine.

"I do not now, nor will I in the future need you to have someone carry me. If I need to wait until I'm capable of doing it myself, then I will do so. In the meantime, I. Am. Fine." The smaller male growled, unconsciously clutching his coat closer to his body at the idea of someone touching him, discovering that his waist was the wrong shape, that his hips were too wide, or worse, feeling the scars that would forever mark him as a hybrid between the two genders.

"Don't make me call Strawhat in here, Law. You know damn good and well we both answer to him. I hate to pull the 'higher power' card, but fuck it all, you're being too goddamn stubborn." Kidd was able to pry open one eye part-way, but it was blurry and sent pain stabbing into his skull. So he slammed it shut again and threw his arm across his face to further block the light. "Nngh fuckfuckfuckfuck. Like a migraine but so much fuckin' worse."

Silence reigned between them for a bit and Law frowned off to the side and tried not to think about the implications of having Luffy, of all people, be brought into this. It was the last thing the Pirate King needed, what with his own marital issues and the nonsense regarding his own son. He slipped his hand under his coat to rub gently at the place below his navel where he knew the zygote rested.

"No... don't call Luffy." He closed his eyes again, sounding defeated, and something else. Something hollow and wistful, like there was something he longed to say without saying it.

Under any other circumstances, Kidd would probably have picked up on it. But he'd just undergone a Total Reset and his brain was fuzzed from the overload. And every muscle was screaming. So, what perception he had of the outside world, wasn’t much.

"...okay. But I want you checked over by a doc. One that isn't you," he added quickly because if Law was allowed to give himself a check-up, he'd clear himself no matter what his actual condition was.

"NO!" The word was blurted from the surgeon’s mouth before he could even think for a moment. "Eh... I mean... I'll wait for Chopper. The Puffing Frank is up and running again so Chopper-ya should be back soon, ne? He knows better than any of our students how my Devil Fruit works, and can easily tell if this last experiment has done anything to harm me."

Kidd 'eyed' him, more like contorted his face so Law would know he wasn't pleased, but grunted an agreement. That, he'd managed to notice, and it made him suspicious. And worried. He meant it, he'd fucking Reset. That wasn't good.

Once again the galley was quiet, and after a few moments, Law gathered his legs under him to stand. He stumbled a little, cramped and slightly numb from having been sitting on the cold floor, and grabbed the counter as a wave of nausea hit him. But he managed to get to his feet. He breathed slowly, in through his nose and out through his mouth, glaring at the sink nozzle as though it had been the root cause of the whole issue because focusing on something was better than focusing on nothing. He shuddered, gripping his coat with his other hand and took a few hesitant steps towards his lover, and incidentally, the door. His Room was shrinking, as he began to concentrate on it a bit better. The shock to his system was wearing off, the adrenaline was gone, and the fight or flight response has beginning to calm again. Thus, his unconscious mind determined that he didn't need the barrier anymore. Yet another reason why he couldn't allow Kidd to call the others. Chances were that until he was able to dismiss the shield completely, they wouldn't be able to reach him anyway. So, he slowly made his way over to where the redhead was collapsed against the wall.

"I will get Killer and Roronoa. Between the two of them, you should be able to walk to the Marineford galley. Sanji-ya will have at least food, and a warm place to rest until your Reset is finished."

Kidd grunt-whined, but didn't argue. He was keeping a close 'eye' on Law... or rather his staples. "They'll be able t'do it... I guess... fuck. I hate Resetting. Takes so long, hurts so much... makes me forget important shit that comes back to bite me in the ass at the worst possible time..."

"Yes, well, this time all you forgot was my experiment. So, don't worry about it. Just concentrate on resting for now, so that you can get back to fixing that blasted shoulder mount of yours. The fight with Bellamy is soon, and we need you in prime condition when we finally move against him." The brunet's hidden words resonated through his midsection like the strike of a tuning fork.

Something niggled at the engineer’s mind. It was extremely important. His power spread out much further, 'looking' at what was around. "...mount is finished. I feel it in my workroom. Maybe you can put it in tonight... erg, no, in the morning. I won't be finished Resetting 'til tomorrow. Fuck..."

Something else was still niggling, still bothering him. Fuck, what was it? It was really important if it kept trying to get through to his head after his Reset.

The dusting of pink across the smaller man’s cheeks was audible. "No... I... I don't know if the after effects of my experiment will allow me to have that sort of fine control of my Room that soon. You haven't noticed it but we've been sitting in it this whole time. An instinctual fluctuation that I had not anticipated, but it will take some time and meditation to assuage the symptom."

Kidd frowned a little, “...Oh. Ok, babe, don't worry about it. Nevermind. Fair enough, whatever made me Reset making your Room freak out makes sense. Erm... I'll just wait here then."

And he'd install the mount on his own... just like he had the first time. But even in this state he knew much, much better than to say that out loud. Law would skin him.

The surgeon nodded and took his first independent steps, shrinking his Room to a six-inch bubble around himself, "Then I will go and find you some assistance."


	22. A Moment of Calm Before the Storm - Part 4

The thin man sighed, looking out over the water that was both his means of travel and his greatest weakness. It had been five months since he’d last seen her. Well, no, if he was honest with himself it was less than that, but a chance meeting in the backstreets of the biggest city on the Grand Line hardly counted as seeing her. He glanced down at his hand, and traced the palm with his fingers. He'd felt it. That pulse of life. His Haki had told him it was male, and somehow, though he couldn't explain it, he knew the boy was his. His skin tingled and he clenched his fist, a wisp of steam filtering through his knuckles unconsciously. A hundred questions floated through his mind, and the answer to every single one of them was her. He'd never really wanted anything else. The rest... it had all been trivial once he'd found her. Oh, he made a show of it, because she expected it, and he was confident that nothing would ever come between them.

He dangled his foot down towards the deck below, letting it swing absently. The bastard would pay for what he'd done, and then... then he would offer himself in payment for what he had done. Maybe that way... she'd forgive him at least enough to let him know the baby. He didn't want the boy to grow up like he had. For all that he loved his grandfather, the Marine hero wasn't exactly the most loving of men, and Dragon? Well, he hadn't been the best of examples either. Freedom was important, but always having a home to come back to, where the boy could know he'd always be welcome... that was even more important, and the brunet promised himself that he'd be there to watch that boy become a man. He grinned suddenly, a melancholy sort of expression, maybe he'd be like Ace had been and become a famous pirate, since he was the son of the Pirate King after all.

"Yosh." He spoke more quietly than normal, "You wait, Nami. Be like Rouge for our Ace."

Zoro appeared from the shadows and came to lean on the railing next to his Captain. He was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "She won't have to." His eyes were shaded as they slid over to Luffy. "We'll get her back first."

Whatever his personal feelings, his Captain came first. And his Captain wanted Nami back, wanted her child. His feelings on the matter were irrelevant, as worthless as a morning mist that dissolved at the first shaft of sunlight that was Luffy's smile. It had always been that way. That was how he'd joined this crazy-ass crew in the first place.

Then the swordsman returned his gaze to the water. "And Kaya too. We'll get ‘em both. We'll return ‘em to where they belong. We always do." A grim smile touched his mouth. "Your little Ace does have one advantage though. His pop is still alive, and will tear apart the world to keep him safe."

He just couldn't shake the bad feeling circling these events though. Kidd had been evasive on 'The Rules' Bellamy was apparently subject to, but Law's reaction told him there was something neither of them would share. It got his hackles up. Not that he didn't trust them. But he could feel that things weren't right. Things were very not-right indeed. Even beyond Bellamy. What he just couldn't get over was—Bellamy was a toy. A lackey. A… well, a Hyena. He was a submissive creature despite his posturing, and danced to the tune of a stronger being. Why was he acting on his own now, all these years later? It just didn't make sense, and he couldn't figure out why. It bothered him.

"Yosh." The rubber man nodded, and clenched his hand again, the one that still had the faint trace of his son's aura across the palm, as though to keep that precious feeling to himself. Then he flipped himself around to look at his first mate upside down, "You think Nami'll let me name him Ace?"

The first mate leaned his chin in his hand and gave his Captain a grin. "Dunno. She might. Actually, probably. Because if Ace hadn't saved your ass, there wouldn't be a mini-Ace. Let's just hope he doesn't get into as much trouble as the original. Otherwise he'll give his parents, his aunt, and all of his uncles heart attacks and that'll be what finally kills us. I mean, can you imagine if he turned out just like his namesake?" He laughed. "Riding all over the ocean chasing the most dangerous people he can find and bailing his friends out of trouble. Dear Kami, he'll end us all from the worry!"

"That would awesome!" Luffy grinned, picturing their own escapades over the last several years. "He'll have great adventures!"

"Oi! Don't go planning his adventures for him! That's cheating!" Zoro gave the rubber man a severely worried look. It could get the kid hurt, which would lead to Nami carving a 'reminder' into Luffy somewhere so he wouldn't do it again.

"Mah! I know he'll have great adventures. He's a D." The brunet was up on his feet again, holding the railing of the deck and grinning out into the sunlight. His grandfather was a D, his father was a D, his adopted brother was D, he was a D! There was no way in Luffy's mind that the baby could be anything but awesome. "And he'll have a great first mate too. Torao's already making her."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, fucking what?! You mean to tell me Law's gotten a chick preg—and, wait, you think they'll sail together?!"

Scratch the heart attack in ten years, he was going to die of a heart attack now. Someone with Luffy's sense of adventuring and monster strength—Zoro was under no illusions: his captain WOULD train the child to be as strong as he could make it—and Nami's intelligence, paired with someone with Law's genetics for a first mate?! The man was a sociopath with a genius-devil mind, and surely he'd selected the perfect 'breeding specimen' before undertaking such a venture—Zoro slumped where he stood, whining and clutching his head.

"Oh Kami, Luffy..." He groaned.

"Nah. Traffy's growing her himself. But shhhh!!" The captain made an over exaggerated press of his finger to his lips. "Nobody's s'posed ta know until he tells Kidd. Cuz the daddy's always supposed to be the first to know."

“Daddy?!” Zoro choked, and promptly fell over slightly foaming at the mouth, much to the rubber man’s amusement.

Over the swordsman's unconscious form, a third person entered the deck. Though the grin he gave made the admonishment useless, he said it anyway, "You know, Luffy, using Haki to spy on people isn't nice."

"I didn't spy on her. She tickled me. Just like Ace did." The captain ceased poking his first mate's head to blink up at his mentor.

"Ace? Your brother?" A faint curiosity overtook the redhead's face.

Luffy's grin got bigger, "Nope! My son."

Shanks grabbed the younger man around the neck, which would have been the precursor to a noogie had he his other arm, but he settled for jerking the brunet around some. "Yeah, about that... how come I had ta find out from a couple of recruits that overheard Ivankov and his partner talking about Cobra reading a letter sent to your father by the Fleet Admiral after he was messaged by your cook? How can I be a great uncle if you don't tell me I'm gonna be one!?"

"Sorry." Though the Pirate King didn't sound sorry at all.

Brook had been just coming around the corner at the end of that sentence, and blinked at them both a couple of times. "Erm... Luffy. And..." his sockets directed at the man's full head of hair, "Red-Hair Shanks, I presume? What was that I heard about 'uncle'?"

"Well, yeah. Shanks is my uncle." The younger captain was still grinning. There was a beat as everyone sort of stared at each other, then Luffy said, "Oh, wait... that was supposed to be a secret."

Unable to keep his hold on the brunet, the one-armed Emperor fell back against the wall laughing. "Just like the old man! I always knew Draggy was smart to leave you with him. He’d have never gotten anything done with you just blurting out secrets all the time, Baka!"

Brook dramatically smacked his temple with his hand. "...Luffy... one of the Yonko is your uncle... and you've never told the crew? Oh for the love of... you know Robin and Sanji are going to have a field day with this."

Again the brunet gave the same tone of "Sorry" without ever losing his grin.

"Hey, hey now, don't be too hard on him. It's not his fault the Old Man was even more unwilling to talk about me than he was about Draggy. Couldn't you see it? Famous Admiral Garp, father of Revolutionary Dragon and infamous 'Red-Hair' Shanks, grandfather of Strawhat Luffy!" The older captain laughed. "It’s the papers that would have a field day!"

"So will the crew," Brook said before he turned on his heel to deliver the news to the rest of the ship.

With a rueful smile, the redhead flicked the brim of his favorite hat, still sitting on his nephew’s head, “Oh boy. Your ship really does have ears."

Shanks did the attempted manhandling again, and Luffy just laughed, tripping over the unconscious Zoro on his way down the deck. At a more sedate pace, the redhead followed, but his grin was anything but relaxed.

It was at that moment that Sanji stepped out to grab a cigarette between meal preparations. Flambé was handling things, and he desperately needed some nicotine and his Marimo, not necessarily in that order. So, looking down at the wooden flooring, he raised his visible eyebrow and smirked.

"My, how convenient. Fresh sea-moss available for the picking." He toed the swordsman's head, "Oi! Lazy ass! That swordswoman's looking for you again. Said something about liberating Wado."

His target came awake with an abrupt jolt, hands going defensively to his sword hilt. "FOR THE LOVE O’ THE KAMI, TASHIGI, YER NOT GETTIN’—Huh?" He looked around, frowned, and wiped his mouth—it felt funny. "What the fuck, cook? What was that for?!"

A subtle smile and the exhalation of his smoke, accompanied a sultry voice, "Because if I want to get you up, I have to get your blood pumping."

Zoro flushed. "Well… erm… sorry. Luffy was tellin’ me ‘bout—" his face went ashen and he leaned against the railing. "Oh right. Nevermind," he said weakly. "I don't want ta think ‘bout it too hard."

"I see. Well, then how about I find something better for you to think about? So you don't strain your fuzzy aquatic brain, ne?" With a raised eyebrow, the blond stepped closer, keeping the cigarette well out of burning range, and nipped at the swordsman's bottom lip.

His lover purred and leaned in. "Mmm, yes, why don't ya do that, eh love-cook?"

Sanji leaned to the side to finish his cancer stick, then flung the burned filter over the edge of the railing, and grabbed the green haired man's chin for a fierce kiss. "There's entirely too much talk of fighting and not enough fucking going on these days, Marimo. What are you gonna do about fixing that?"

The swordsman's eye was a deep, deep black as he grinned just as fiercely, exhaling the last of the smoke he'd stolen from the chef's lungs during the kiss, both arms around his lover's waist. "Mmm, I think ya might know how I would plan on fixin' that."

"Do I now? Are you saying I'm finally fluent in mosshead?" The blond smirked, a hand trailing down the open space in his lover's haori, tracing the contours of his chest with deceptively strong fingers.

Zoro pressed into that skilled hand—that hand gave him dreams. "Mmmaybe. Just a little."

The fingers slipped lower, toying with the knot in his lover's sash, and Sanji pressed a little closer, the shape of his dress slacks no longer hiding the way that teasing hint of the swordsman's physique was enough to get him going.

"What say we take this home, and I make you crack the windows again?"

The larger man growled, low, and feral, and beautiful as he grabbed his lover around the waist. "Oh hell yes, do you even remember what you did that night that got me roaring so hard?"

"Not exactly, but the fun is in finding out. Isn't it?" The cook cantered his teeth along the other's jaw line, stopping when he reached those three golden pendants so he could tug on them.

There was a cracking sound, and abruptly the pair disappeared from deck. Elsewhere, a cabin door slammed shut and locked as the roar of a tiger vibrated the planks of the ship.


	23. A Moment of Calm Before the Storm - Part 5

"So help me, Eustass-ya, if you don't stop breathing down my neck, I will rearrange your face so you know what it feels like!" Law growled, stalking through the galley trying not to clench his hands into fists on his way.

Around him heads turned in curiosity. This was the one common area among the three factions, and thus, Marines sat with Pirates who in turn sat with Revolutionaries. Innocent competitions were waged and bet on, food was eaten and socializing was done, all under the watchful eye of the world's best chef. So, in the hopes of being able to relieve some of the tension he'd been feeling over the last week, the surgeon had sought refuge among the crowd. He was disappointed, however, because his lover had followed on his heels, just as he had every day since the engineer's Reset. The brunette was at the end of his rope, and not being able to be intimate with his partner the way they usually were only made things worse.

He tugged at the hoodie that was just a bit too tight around the middle, but bulky enough that unless someone put their hands on him they wouldn't notice. When they'd all arrived at Marineford for the conference of the world leaders his, albeit borrowed, midsection had still been trim and toned, flat as a washboard, but now... not so much. He knew it was a good thing, and the fact that he was quickly out-growing his clothing showed how strong and healthy she was, but it was damned frustrating on top of everything else. Oh, and plus, because of his Reset Kidd STILL didn't remember being told about the baby. So, at that moment, all the smaller man wanted was a cup of Sanji's rosehip and raspberry tea, a plate of those honey drenched pretzels he'd discovered by accident and a good book to take to some quiet corner for a moment of blessed PEACE!

Kidd growled deeply, reaching out for his lover's hips before remembering that one, he didn't have his left arm, and two, Law hadn't allowed him to put hand on him in nearly a month. Something about not wanting any issues with the other factions coming over to tell them to quiet down. More like he didn't want other people knowing about their sex life, regardless how shameless he'd been with their own crew.

His hand clenched into a fist as he let his fall back to his side. Another wordless snarl preceded his next statement. "Goddamn it Law, I fucking Reset. I'm not leaving you alone!"

The surgeon was the only person he loved more than his own life. The only person he would, if he had to, give up his only remaining arm for. This was not something he said out loud. This was not something he ever let anyone know, not even Law.

"I know you RESET!" The brunet whirled on him, glaring. "You've been going on about it for the last week! You just... UGH! If I didn't know that you were essential for this nonsense with the plaything I'd knock you unconscious until you regained what you lost. You have NO idea how aggravating it has been on me. Every time I turn around you're there! I can't even fucking piss without you! I'm not made of glass!"

Hard red eyes glared at him with a barely-contained fury that made them burn. "...I am fucking allowed to hover over you, considering circumstances," he said slowly, carefully.

His voice was kept forcefully low, reasonable. Law hated it when he blew his top, hated it when he started to yell. And since the reawakening of the deepest part of his soul, the bloodlust and the animal inside, his temper had returned to its previous shortness. Any patience he'd managed to accumulate in recent years had evaporated. Or at least severely shortened. It was a lot harder to keep his temper, even though something in him screamed to stay in control around Law.

"Considering what circumstances, Kidd? You know that nothing is going to happen concerning the plaything here, even he isn't that stupid. So, what? What has you thinking you need to be glued to me worse than your own entourage!" The surgeon gave a pointed glare at Killer, Wire and Heat, who all hovered just beyond their captain. "At least they," he pointed, "don't try to follow you into the bathroom and let you sleep at night."

Kidd's body shuddered and his fur bristled as his lip curled on one side. His voice deepened, gaining a rusty, strained quality mixed with a violent growl. "Only because they know I'll stuff their balls down their throats if they try. And the circumstances include the toy, the Reset, your experiment-gone-wrong, and imminent looming battle. Not to mention the fact that your health has plummeted in the past fucking month."

"It... eh... it has not! I'm healthier than ever!" Law glared off to the side, which he knew wouldn't help his case, but he couldn't help the embarrassment staining his face at the proof that his lover had noticed the changes in his body.

"DONT FUCKING LIE TO ME!"

The redhead couldn't help it. If there was anything he couldn't stand, it was Law lying to him. His power exploded—everything metal within range, from the Flying Pan to the All Blue, twisted, bent, buckled and sparked violently. Stoves flared up, engines fired, bolts popped and screws came loose, and anything even vaguely loose ripped straight off wherever it was fastened. The only thing that remained untouched was medical metal—Law's staples, Heat's stitches, Usopp's splints. He bared his teeth at his mate as he panted, nearly seeing red.

"You can't hold a Room for more than twenty seconds without it flickering out. Unless you feel threatened, in which case ya can't fucking dismiss the thing! You throw up fucking everything you eat, most of it violently! You've been drinking tea for a month and you ONLY do that when yer sick! You falter when ya stand, stumble when ya walk, ya can't git fuckin' comf'table at nigh', ya walk th'fuckin halls n' walls all goddamn nigh', n' fuckall if ya c'n keep yer 'ead on straigh'! Yer calm l'gic 's never feckin' fail'd b'fer, but's failin' yer now!"

The brunet took a step back, closing his eyes and a sheen of sweat broke out across his brow as he struggled to react exactly as his lover predicted. To do so now would mean that most of the galley would wind up pressed against the wall almost violently. "Please... Eustass... calm down? I... I can't talk about this here. I'm sorry."

Somewhere in the background, beyond the swinging door into the actual kitchen, a litany of cursing and banging pots drew the attention of most of the people in the dining hall. Several very abruptly took what they could still control of their meals and left the quickly escalating scene. Others seemed to be either paralyzed with fear, or like most of the Marines above Recruit rank, were literally held to their seats by the master of magnetism's hold on their boots and buttons.

Kidd panted for several minutes, visibly struggling. With himself, with his power. It was so hard not to just reach out for the man who was his world and yank him in, hold him and refuse to let go. But he knew, he knew, if he even reached for him, that fucking Room would rebuff him quicker than he could blink. In this state Law's body counted him a threat, somehow. So, his hand dug into his hair and yanked, bringing tufts of red drifting around his shoulders before he let out a long, low snarl and everything was released from his magnetic power with a sudden jolt.

His jaw was tight and his eyes were dark with both extreme fury and deep, deep hurt as they caught Law's gray ones one more time. "...Never lie."

He then turned on his heel and stormed off, pausing only to snap at Killer, Heat and Wire to take his place watching over his lover and not let anything he said keep them from it.

"But..." The smaller man bit his lip and spoke quietly, trying to will his voice not to tremble. "I'm not lying..."

Several deep breaths did very little to calm him, and the only thing Law felt he could do was continue on to get his tea, though a pit felt heavy in his stomach. He couldn't explain it again, it would make Kidd Reset again, and he didn't think he could handle that. Disregarding the fact that there was precious little time left before the final push to reclaim their missing loved ones. Reports were coming in almost daily now from all over the five seas of people going missing, villages ransacked, and everywhere the attacks were, Doflamingo's symbol was left as a message. They had to put a stop to whatever was going on, and whoever it was that was tarnishing his father's name. It was bad enough the man was dead, but to disrespect him in this way... it made Law's blood boil almost hot enough to forget about the argument.

Just before the door into the kitchen, he put a hand to his head, closing his eyes again, and chewed on the corner of his lip. "Killer...?"

The usually, mostly-stoic blond man turned his head, so the holes on his mask indicated he had given his attention to the man his captain adored so much. Kidd didn't have to say anything for him to know the redhead was head over heels to a frightening degree. The feral man, though he didn't look it, was fiercely protective, and Killer knew better than anyone. Anything Kidd cared about, he immediately claimed as 'his'. And nothing touched what belonged to Kidd. Nothing. Killer would kill it, or throw himself to his sure death trying. Law was right at the top of the list. Even if no-one else in the world knew or would ever know, Killer knew. So he regarded Law with just the same devotion, loyalty and respect Kidd commanded him.

"Could you go get him please?" The surgeon's tone was weary and the sensitive first mate could hear a depth of pain that was uncommon in the usually aloof slender man. "I... find myself at odds with having chased him off. I will accompany Heat and Wire back to my quarters, so you need not worry that I am attempting to elude you. I swear it."

Killer shifted uncomfortably. “...eat first. Cap’n... well... he... he's gunna be unavailable fer a lil' bit. He's... not safe. I'll get him right away when he is, but for now... you'd better get that thing Sanji gives you that settles your stomach. And some food."

Law sighed and nodded, knowing all too well that the scythe-wielder was right. He wrapped his arms around his ribs and went through the door. Sanji was, of course, seething at the way his kitchen had been manhandled, and Flambé was still pulling knives down from the ceiling. However, whatever the blond had planned to say died on his lips when he took in the doctor's expression. Instead, he sighed and held out the shorter man's plate. They exchanged a glance and Law nodded, but no words were spoken as the brunet left the area through the back, heading back to their quarters to dine in relative peace and safety as holding his Room back was beginning to tire him unnecessarily.

Through it all Killer stayed as a steady, solid presence at his left shoulder. The stoic swordsman watched everything, firm and strong and calm. Law, and Law's Room, knew the first mate would never be a threat to him. Thus, when the brunet relaxed his mind, the light blue barrier passed over the blond man harmlessly.

So, after his snack was finished, and tucked safely back into their private space, Law curled up around his midsection on their bed, no longer caring if Killer saw him break down. His Room extended to the door, and after several minutes of silent sobs, the brunet fell into a fitful doze that left him whimpering slightly. At some point during his nap, his hoodie rode up, revealing the convex curve of his stomach.

Kidd stumbled into the doorway and conferred quietly with Killer for a moment, their deep voices murmuring on the very edge of the surgeon's hearing. The redhead was completely exhausted, and his masked first mate took him by the collar, manhandling him into the shower before he was allowed to get anywhere near his lover. With Law being ill lately, the smell of the oil and grease on the mechanical genius would probably upset his delicate system again and the swordsman knew that the calories his other captain had consumed were too precious to be wasted.

When the master of magnets emerged clean, he tiredly slunk over to the bed, and on seeing the curve of his lover's belly, frowned in confusion. Sitting carefully on the edge of the bed, he reached out to feel that strangely curvy flesh. This was... this was the flesh between the staple rings. This was Law's... failed experiment? It confused him.

"Hm?" The brunet blinked with a sleepy frown, salt crusted on his lashes and cheeks. "Oh... you... wan' kiss... you dun touch me these days... why?"

In his muddled half-awake state the surgeon didn't notice his secret revealed, nor did he even notice the shower-fresh aura about his lover. All he saw was the rough man he loved so much that he deliberately altered his body to please him. Granted, he hadn't meant for it to be permanent, but if it made his lover happy, he'd gladly do it again. Reaching up with a fine-boned hand he threaded his fingers through the deceptively soft red strands, and pulled gently so he could roll over onto his back with the bigger male over him.

Kidd moved as his lover bade him, breathing soft as he let their legs tangle, but kept himself suspended on hand and knees. That strangely soft belly, it didn't belong to the dark man for all that the skin tone matched. He knew it somehow. Knowing that, he was afraid to test its strength with his heavy, muscle-bound weight. But he answered the question.

"Because ya don't let me."

He leaned down and nuzzled his cheek before letting their lips meet sweetly in the kind of gentle kiss only Law had ever managed to coax from him. When he was forced to part for air, he sighed deeply and rested his forehead against his lover's.

"Kami... you don't even... I just... you... nnngh." He gave up. He still couldn't vocalize what he felt. Nope. Stupid brain. Stupid Reset.

"It's cuz you forgot." Only here, like this, and only with Kidd, did the brunet ever let himself be truly open, though the further he went with this, the harder it was becoming to hold everything back. "I told you before, and you forgot. You Reset. I don't wanna see you Reset again." The tears he thought he had under control slipped from between his lashes, "Then you didn't believe me."

"You lied to me when you said you were fine. A fucking cabin boy could see you haven't been fine, Law. And you... you don't know what lying does to me. Especially about your health of all things," Kidd's voice dropped to try and hide the fact that it broke. "Never lie to me, Trafalgar Law. Never, ever, ever lie to me. Ever again."

His arm shook as he took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself. He couldn't break down like a fucking sissy. Not when Law obviously needed him.

"B-but I am fine. Everything that's happening is supposed to be happening. I know it looks like I'm miserable, but I swear, I'm fine. I've never lied to you, why do you think I am now?" The betrayal in the surgeon’s dark eyes was obvious, and doubts that he'd never experienced before were bubbling up in his heart like an acid, eating away at his confidence.

"Because 'sick' is not 'fine' and you've been sick for a month. And goddamn it, do you—no, just... fuck. Okay. You being sick is supposed to be happening? What the Hell does that mean?" The redhead sat up and back, plowing his fingers into his hair as he carefully avoided the slightly bumped belly.

"It should stop in the next couple of weeks. Maybe. Each time is different for each person but there's a... um..." Law looked down, and instantly paled, then flushed pink across his nose, and tugged his shirt down as best he could, which wasn't very well considering that he was laying on part of it. "Damn it... why can't you just trust me?"

"I do trust you. I just... hate not knowing. I hate seeing you sick, and I really hate seeing you fucking miserable. I mean, goddamn it, I'd give my right arm to see you happy! I worry, fuck it all!" Then, realizing what just slipped out of his mouth without his permission, Kidd slammed his hand over his mouth—his only hand... his right hand.

All the mostly slender brunet could do was blink. "You'd... for... but that would mean... but you Reset the last time I told you."

The larger man sighed, dragging his fingers down his face before he said 'fuck it' and gave up posturing. It didn't matter at this point. "Law... there is only ever one reason I Reset. It's when I genuinely think, believe, fear, with all of my being, that someone I... I love... is going to die. I Reset only ever once before I met you: when all my friends died at the hands of a Marine. Then I met you, and got so fucking attached, and I have never Reset, ever, except when I think you're in very real danger I can't save you from. Nothing you could have told me caused my Reset... only something I've seen can scare me that fucking much."

"I know that. The... the stupid bint died and..." The surgeon bit his lip, frowning and clutching the edges of his hoodie. "Part of me died with her. It's... it's why I told you the staples are permanent now. I can't... this won't... even after... I know how you feel about female genitalia."

Kidd peered at Law, now simply confused. "...what the hell do girl parts have to do with this??"

"They're part of the deal... in order to... see, the... oh! By the Joker's left asscheek!" The brunet cursed, blushing more furiously. He spoke aloud without realizing it, "How the Hell am I supposed to tell you that I gave up my dick to give you a baby!?"

Kidd blinked. Once, then twice more, then swallowed. "Y-you... you... ngh... you..."

He couldn't help himself. He needed to check the truth of this statement. He undid Law's buckle, button, and zipper, and yanked them down before the smaller man could stop him. Then he promptly went more white than he already was and made a distressed sort of yelp.

The surgeon scrambled back up the bed, using his smaller frame to get out from under his now-panicking lover. The hoodie wasn't big enough to cover his shame and not for the first time since everything had happened, Law cursed the fact that he hadn't brought the Kuja bint with him. Now, he was sure he'd never be touched again, and being a spawn of the Joker, even an adopted one, the idea of his lover never touching him ever again was almost enough to make him break Rule Number One. So, he curled in on himself, refusing to look at the redhead, face aflame with embarrassment.

The master of metal was breathing rapidly, but was getting a handle on it. In, out. In, out. In, out. Yeah. Okay. So Law had—he choked—Law didn't have his... right. He was still Law. He was still the man he loved. He could handle this. Yes. He'd be fine. Once he managed to get over... over... He made the yelping noise again. It almost sounded like a distressed dog. Maybe even a Hyena's yipping cry.

"...an' tha's permanent?" His voice was strangled and high.

"This is why I didn't tell you!" Law wrapped the blanket from the other side of the bed around himself, trying to hide in a way he hadn't since he'd outgrown worshipping the ground his father walked on. "You think it's disgusting, and vile, and ugly. And yes, it's permanent, because the fucking bint went and got herself killed because she couldn't just stay put, she had to go out with that snake-bitch and become a pirate. So, the fucking plaything found her and stabbed his fucking SPRINGS THROUGH MY STOMACH!"

A long shudder went through Kidd's shoulders and down his spine. "It… it's not vile, or u-ugly, just... just different. You'll get me used to it. You got me used to getting a needle stabbed in me halfway into sex, for Kami's sake, you can get me used to... girly bits. But... but Bellamy will pay." His voice turned bloodlusty and dropped to a snarling rumble. "For touching any part of you, for destroying a part of you... he will fucking pay."

The blush changed subtly at the mention of one of his fetishes but Law still crowded himself as close to the headboard of their bed as he could get, gripping the blanket tighter. "D-don't. I... I don't want to push you away again. I want you close. I want you to touch me. But... this stupid... since the bint's death... I can't... Eustass, please calm down? My Room."

The redhead was calm almost instantly and the turned to the only person in the world who could possibly, ever, get him to touch any part of a woman sexually and not throw up—because he'd have to, now. The thought of never touching Law again was Not An Option. Intolerable. "It's... it's okay, Law. I know. It wants to keep you safe. You and the baby." He leaned his elbow on his knee with a long sigh as the full implications of what his lover told him crossed his mind. "Fuck. Baby. Sired by me, dear Roger's mustache. I can already see the devil-child."

"Chopper works wonders." Though he had to angle his legs a little differently than normal, Law was able to rest his cheek on his knee so he could peer out through the fringe of his dark bangs. "I only supplied the space. If he hadn't worked with Nami on that fertility ball, all of this would be for nothing. And she isn't a devil-child, she's a princess."


	24. And Just What has Wonderland Been up to?

Strolling through the hallway to the Tea Room, the blond self-appointed captain of the ship hummed to himself, and grinned. "The Rabbit, the Queens, the Knights and the Hare! Everything is coming to get her so nicely!? What shall I do to waste my time? The Dormouse has seen to it that nothing is boring! Good morning my Queens!"

He burst through the door, as though stepping out to greet a crowd of admirers. The long table filled with steaming cups of unknown brews, most toxic, some not, and garishly colored with odd angles and sloped seats. At one end, bound to her chair with springs was the Pirate Queen, dressed in a white taffeta gown that bulged unflatteringly around her swollen midsection. The other end, in an equally ugly but red taffeta dress Kaya sat quietly, hands folded in her lap. There was a glare on the ginger's face and it was obvious that were it not for her bindings she'd have been on her feet attacking the psychotic Hyena, heavily pregnant or not. Around the table to either side of the 'Queens' were the others that Bellamy had captured. Kalifa, with ridiculous rabbit ears on her head and a gag fashioned to look like a muzzle complete with whiskers was held by a pair of springs impaled through her elbows into the wood of the chair. Kaku was across from her in a suit of armor, painted white and welded into a sitting position. The blond was delighted by this scene.

"Any minute now we'll have the others joining us! Won't that be fun, my sweets?" He stepped deliberately across the exposed back of the one person who didn't fit his plans, grinding his boot heels into the man's spine in a show of dominance.

The wolf refused to whimper, instead his ears laying back as he growled and snarled. He ground the teeth of his muzzle—for he had not been permitted to shift back to human form, and was still bound with Haki-infused springs—as his slitted, swollen eyes tracked the goddamn feline-half-dog, tail bound to one leg to keep it down. He'd used it, when it was free, to wave like a flag, unwaveringly rejecting the damn blond's pseudo-dominance.

Bellamy hadn't liked it.

The Hatter's eye twitched horribly, his pupils dilating and shrinking again. "NO ONE LOOSED YOUR TONGUE!" He spun and jammed his foot into Jyabura's ribs at full speed and Haki-reinforced. "Doormats are to be walked on! Not heard! Since you had to intrude on our game, the least you could do is participate without being rude!"

The wolf-man snarled again, body bucking violently. It would be so worth it if he could knock this little bastard right on his ass... or better into the table. Maybe he'd dent his head again.

Kaya's shoulders were tense. She'd gotten an idea, but she really... really wasn't sure if it would be well-received. Bellamy was increasingly volatile, now that he'd found a 'piece' that didn't 'fit'. Still, if this went on much longer, she wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut. It just hurt, so much, to watch the dog-man struggle so hard, hurt himself so much...

"Aw, give it a break would you?" One of the few at the table who was not restrained, the blond's second in command, Sarkies, and at the moment known as—

"March Hare! When I want your opinion I'll give it to you!" Bellamy roared, planting his foot on Jyabura's head, pinching the spring around his muzzle. "You're supposed to sit there and entertain the Red Queen! The last thing we need is time being murdered again!"

The purple-haired man rolled his eyes, but said nothing else, opting to try his luck on a teacup. That seemed to mollify the Hyena and the captain made his way to his own seat, a throne-like chair halfway between the two Queens and across from an even more elaborate, cushioned place much larger than any of the other settings around the deadly table. It was flanked by two other seats, just like Bellamy's, but at the moment, as they had been since Nami arrived, they were empty.

The ginger growled around her own gag, a delicate looking lace thing that was only necessary because she hadn't stopped cursing him in spite of Kaya's warnings. Truth be told, her anger kept her going. If she didn't hold on to that, she'd have lost herself in the knowledge that there was no way she'd be rescued. Luffy didn't want her. He'd made that painfully clear, and it didn't matter how many times her fellow captives tried to change her mind, the pit of her heart was certain that she'd been given up for good. Feeling the edge of her fury slipping, she growled again, and met Kaku's worried eyes through the visor of his helmet.

"The White Queen is a hunter, didn't you know, Hatter?" Kaya took her cup and sipped.

It was simple, actual tea. She knew, because he always made sure of it. Rule Number One after all. She didn't know what it was, but it seemed to cover an awful lot of things, especially connected to Nami and herself. She couldn't help it, maybe finding a 'place' for the wolfman would ease Bellamy back into contentment. She had to draw his interest first. He was, like almost any man, prone to be obstinate if she didn't lead him into it, and carefully.

"That was why the White Queen had him, you know."

The blond stared at her, head tilting painfully to the side, and an eye squinting so that he appeared to have two different sizes. "Had who? The cur? The Mongrel? The MUTT?! NO!" He slammed his hands on the table and threw a cup at one of the Cards ringing the room. It exploded and the poor soul fell to the ground, clutching his face and screaming. "He's NOTHING but a KNAVE! A—AH!" He rushed out of his chair and grabbed up the bleeding wolf. "SO YOU'RE THE ONE WHO STOLE THE TARTS!"

"No, he's not. That would be me. I got a craving at midnight. Again. And were he a knave, he'd be a footstool, not a doormat. But no, he is neither, he is what you have mentioned. A mongrel, a mutt. He is a Hound." She'd been on this ship too long, she knew sort of how to speak in his riddles, and, she prayed, how to fit into his delusion. She found it so much easier to keep her stomach down if he was content.

Jyabura bared his teeth, but said nothing, ears flickering as he hung limp. Too much pain, too much Haki messing with his system.

"Mongrels should be put in the trash!" Bellamy shook the dog. "But no. No. The Jabberwocky wouldn't like it. He wants to have things just so. No wasted meat, no thrown out garbage. Wouldn't want him to beat us again since we lost the Cheshire Cat." In a strange and tender gesture the blond brought his captive to his chest and stroked his ears. "Shh. Shh, now. There, there. You'll not be trashed. Jabberwocky wouldn't like it. He'd send us to the Dormouse and the Caterpillar again. No, must please the Jabberwocky."

He continued mumbling in Jyabura's ears, whimpering slightly and twitching every so often. He was so much worse than what he had been only a few weeks ago. Either his delusions were growing or there was something about this 'Jabberwocky' fellow that kept him from returning to even the illusion of sanity he once had claimed. It was almost enough to draw pity from his prisoners. The Hyena, once proud servant of the Joker, was now truly as mad as a hatter, just like his title said.

At the table, Sarkies sipped his tea, trying not to look at the shell of his former captain, and found himself meeting eyes with the others around him. He couldn't keep any of their gazes long, and it was obvious that whatever loyalty he had to Bellamy, it did not extend to whoever the Jabberwocky was. Just as he was settling into his chair for a moment of thought, a Card burst through the door.

"Hatter-sir! They're coming! The Unicorn and the Lion!"

The blond's head snapped up, fear and excitement dancing in his eyes. He screeched, "And the King!? AND THE KING!? THERE MUST BE THE KING! THE JABBERWOCK DEMANDS IT!!!"

"Yes, Sir. All three! And their army." The Card saluted.

The wolf hissed and his tail attempted to curl in protectively as Bellamy's swinging about caused his broken bones to grind viciously against each other, a long, low whine slipping out without his permission as his vision darkened on the edges.

Kaya's heart broke. Whatever Bellamy had done, the 'Jabberwocky' had done terrible things to him. She knew. She'd had to assist with patching him up afterward. He was the only line of defense between the two pregnant women and the Jabberwocky, and she definitely did not want that line of defense removed. Whoever he was, he was brutal. No mercy.

She couldn't help but feel bad for Bellamy, being around him this long had, in a twisted way, let her sort of get to know him. He was loyal enough. He'd even been solicitous, charming on occasion. Until the Jabberwocky started interacting with him so closely. Then he'd entered this terrifying spiral that made her worry if he would even remember his own "rules" if it got much worse.

Across from her, Nami bit her gag and whimpered barely audibly. The King? Did he really mean who she thought he meant? Kaku snagged her gaze, and hope flickered between them that the ginger refused to acknowledge. No, she couldn't give in now. She only had to wait it out. Internally she cried out, but her mask was firmly in place, keeping her inner turmoil locked away. If he was coming, it was for Kaya, and the others, not for her. Never for her. As the thought crossed her mind, she felt a small pop somewhere deep inside her, and her eyes went wide. 'Not yet. No. Not yet.' Again she exchanged a glance with Kaku, and while the Hyena-Hatter and his subordinates were milling about behind them, the long-nosed man tried to pass the message on to the woman in red, though he couldn't speak.

Kaya’s eyes darted to Nami's belly, and she went nearly white. Oh. Oh no. Not now! Oh god, this—not now, oh, no! No no no no! This couldn't be happening, could there be a more inopportune time for a birth than on the announcement of a war?!

She carefully kept quiet, but her breathing was a little abnormally quick as she tried to keep a sharp eye on the other woman. Labor could go on for up to three weeks as long as… surely she wasn't about to start dilating... right?

There was an undercurrent of noise as the Cards rushed about in the background. Bellamy was shouting. Someone else, a strange man with an elongated nose that came to a sharp point and dressed in a labcoat, was laughing in an odd 'fosh fosh fosh' type way while he typed away at the keyboard of a computer that had somehow folded down from the wall. But all of this was backdrop that faded as an instinctual pulse struck those at the table. All of them, every single one, and Jyabura from his broken heap on the floor felt it.

Silent, and pleading, with the rhythm of a heartbeat, words vibrated through the air. Nami's eyes were closed and her hands curled in to fists. There was a small crease in her brow, and her hair moved with an invisible breeze.

'Not yet. Not yet. Not yet.'

Kaya, hands folded, joined in the silent prayer, her quiet chimes, just as silent and yet still just as pulsing, joined in.

'Not yet. Not yet. Not yet.'

Heart in his throat, Jyabura added his own aura to the growing plea.

'Not yet, little cub. Not yet. It's not time, not yet.’

Bolstered by the four around the table with her, Nami breathed deeply, her fists more relaxed, but still her eyes were closed, the long tresses of her ginger hair falling down to hide her face from the on-lookers.

‘Not yet. Not yet. Not yet.’

Kalifa, in her delirium, smiled under her muzzle and mumbled, "The Queen's Haki."

Then all Hell broke loose. "NAAAAAAAAMI!!!!!!!"

Her trance was broken and she stared, wide-eyed at the now gaping hole in the side of the ship. "Ruuffy."

He was there, panting and already in Gear Second. The rubble of the wall he'd broken through crushed several of the cards, and he glared around the room.

"NO! NO NO! NONONONO!! You AREN'T supposed to be here yet!" Bellamy wailed, jumping onto the table with such force that the cups scattered.

"NAMI!" Luffy growled again, and it was like a pair of titans crashing over the Earth as the two superpowers collided mid-leap above Kaku's head.

Their force drove them to the side, thankfully, and burst out onto the deck of the Wonderland, Bellamy trying desperately to wrap the rubber man in his Haki-infused springs, and Luffy squirming away to pull back for a full force Jet Pistol. Neither was able to accomplish their goals very well and wound up in a tangled mess of rubber and springs as they literally bounced across the deck.

In the distance, and gaining on the enemy ship-turned-stronghold, the refurbished Thousand Sunny led the combined fleet. On the prow, behind the lion's head, Coby stood to one side and Dragon stood to the other. The Strawhats had their weapons ready and aimed at the giant floating mushroom that was the Wonderland herself.

"KAYA!!!" Usopp bellowed as soon as they were in range of his Kabuto, firing Shuriken Stars faster than anyone had ever seen him go before, and with more deadly accuracy. Every blade impaled a Card.

Kaya jolted out of her unknowing Haki daze, looking to where she thought she'd heard… but he couldn't be… surely he'd died… but...

"USOPP!"

The wolf's support dropped off as well as all the noise disrupted his concentration, overloading his sense of hearing so hard he passed out, a pile of broken bones and matted fur.

Zoro and Brook were cutting their way through the ship, leaving diced Cards all along the way as the skeleton did his best to lead the demon of death towards the tea room where Kaya and Nami would be being held.

Robin was smiling her coldest, meanest smile as she went to work on the few that the swordsmen missed, each falling victim to a new torture she'd dreamed up for Bellamy as she serenely watched Luffy whale on him.

A mostly-healed Lucci came barging in and promptly began tearing apart the bonds on his Nakama, starting with Kaku and Kalifa before working on Jyabura, trying to coax the whimpering dog awake while he worked, and at the same time shield the two most vulnerable females from the worst of the fighting.

Sarkies tore himself from the scene as fast as he could go, knowing only death lay behind him. The army bearing down on their home was more than he could stand. So, like the rabbit he'd been portraying he dashed down the darkened hallways of the interior of the ship. If he could reach the connection to the island he could get away. He panted, trying not to think about the friends who were dying, and the madness that was going on above his head. Looking over his shoulder he just ran... straight into a wall of flesh.

"Well, well, well, what have we here? Tired of your part so soon, March Hare?"

"J-J-Jabberwocky! I... I... I..." The much smaller man stammered, scrabbling away from the massive leader.

"Why leave the party so soon? The fun's just beginning." A taloned hand reached down and grabbed a hold of the shivering form to make his way down the tunnel that connected ship and stronghold. "Come, we've someone to intimidate."

The large man in shadows stuck out his hand, much to Sarkies’ terror, and opened a Door in thin air. He smiled in a dangerous way over his shoulder at the smaller man, and it was obvious that he was to be accompanied through the tunnel of ‘not-world’ that existed between Doors. It was twisting, self-contained space outside of time, and it was the Jabberwocky’s favorite playground. When Bellamy had failed to bring in the Cheshire Cat, the man who was behind the whole thing had locked the Hyena in that ‘not-world’ for a week. Where the wounds and scars that had been inflicted on the blond came from no one knew. The implications suggested they were either done by creatures that were native to the space between places, or the Hatter had done them to himself in his attempts to escape. In either case, he’d returned far more damaged than he’d been previously. So, Sarkies had good reason to be hesitant to follow his captain’s master.


	25. Match Point! Scatter the Allies!

The battle raged on, Sanji finding Zoro's back unconsciously. Kaku, as soon as he was free added his own combination of the two monster fighters' styles. Usopp laid down cover fire, aided by several Revolutionary and Marine snipers, to pick off the Cards that tried to bail ship. What made it past that line of defense quickly found themselves trapped in the thousands of hands Robin spawned in every opportune place, often using the bodies of the dead Cards against their comrades. Dragon and Ivankov charged the island from one side, flanked by the Flying Pan and the Mecha Lotus in her battle form. Coby and Helmeppo took the other side, the fleet of Marines led by Smoker, at his back. And Luffy was tumbling quickly towards the island, still wrapped around Bellamy. In fact, from the way the Cards were running, everything was drawing the fight into the center of Jaya. What lay there? No one knew, but they didn't care. They were chasing their prey to the heart of the damnable nest, and then?

They were going to make it burn.

Thus it came to a head. The world leaders, the Strawhats, and important representatives from both the Revolutionary Parliament and the Marines, besides the plethora of nameless grunts from all sides that fleshed out their ranks, ringing the island and crowding the collection of Cards that had survived. As one, they turned their backs to each other and lowered their specialized swords: hearts, clubs, spades, and diamonds. Then the ground began to shake and Bellamy scrambled to get to the center as the survivors began to sink into a trap door.

A strange laugh rang out over the area, "FOSH FOSH FOSH FOSH FOSH!" as in the place of the Cards the odd man Kaku had seen in the Tea Room appeared. "Well, long time no see, Strawhat Luffy!"

"HOGBACK!" The Pirate King roared, and tried to jump at his old enemy.

"NOT! So fast!" The discredited doctor hauled someone around from behind his back. "I have something that you don't want to have harmed!"

She squirmed and kicked, panicked eyes frantically screaming beyond even the measures of her gag. Somehow she was hovering above the ground, cradled in something that they couldn't see, and that enraged the Strawhats further, much to the confusion of those who had not been told the story of Thriller Bark.

"LET HER GO, YOU PERVERTED FUCKTARD!" Sanji's leg was instantly aflame, and he too tried to jump forward.

"You don't deserrrrrve her!" The invisible man growled like a big cat.

"Now, now," The smooth baritone cutting across the battlefield drew everyone's attention to the tall, broad-shouldered man in the sharp dress suit. His hair was as dark as his eyes and styled into a pair of sweeping bull's horns to either side of his head. "We're all friends here, are we not? No need for weapons and mayhem. We'll release your precious loved ones." The collective masses leaned in, "Just as soon as you three step down."

He spread his hands wide and stepped forward, the Door into nothingness dissolved behind him with soft click.

"NEVER!" Luffy shouted, once again priming himself to leap forward, only to be held back by both his father and his adopted younger brother.

"Now, let's not be hasty here. You know we can never do that. How could you ask such a thing?" Dragon's hold was tenuous at best and he knew it as he addressed their adversary.

The mastermind shook his head, "I was afraid you would say that. You see, I've been planning this for a very long time, and I know the three of you all too well. But... I'm afraid there's nothing else that will do. I will have the three of you de-throned, as it were, one way or another, and frankly, I'm not all that unhappy to do things the hard way. Absalom, show them what I mean."

The Pirate King stretched in his bonds, not wanting to hurt his family, but unable to hold still, "NO!! LET HER GO!!"

"Do as the man says, Blueno! You don't want to go up against Luffy again do you? I thought we'd all gotten over our troubles at Enies Lobby." Kaku could barely stand, leaning as he was on Helmeppo, who was trying to pull him back towards the Marines' flagship for medical attention.

The tall Devil Fruit User turned to his former comrades, "That's just the point. All of you have moved on, but what do we do? We hide in shadows, far worse than we ever did as CP9. I am tired of skulking! And I am tired of having this boy-who-would-be-king lording over me the fact that I was a stepping stone on his way to victory over the very people who gave us the power we use today! No more, I say! No more! I will see the end of Strawhat Luffy, AND the fallacy of a government he's cobbled together!! No more am I just the escape artist. I will live in the light! I AM THE JABBERWOCK!! AND YOU CANNOT STRIKE ME DOWN!!!"

Lucci was quiet where he stood beside them. Quiet, but... there was a darkness in him. A deep, painful blackness that radiated outward from him and sent the weaker members of ally and enemy alike scrambling out of his range. "Kaku. You are to get medical attention right now," he ordered softly. But even as he spoke his Haki was burning and pulling tight around him and fur overtook his skin and his claws came out. "Do not argue with me, Kaku."

Zoro snarled and gripped his swords harder. "We kicked your ass once, you son of a bitch, and we can do it again! Did you really fucking think we'd stand idly by while you threatened our Nakama?!"

Smoker simply spat, hand on his jute. This sort of thing was what he'd had to fight so hard against in reforming the Marines. People just couldn't accept how Luffy operated: once a fight was over; it was over! Whatever grievance he had was considered resolved. All former enemies became allies. All, save one. The only man who’d been stupid enough to actually kill a member of his family.

The Marine Admiral growled around his signature cigars, "Lucci. He's your man. But... Strawhat gets first dibs."

"I know.” The leopard snarled back, “But that cat is touching my client." His hackles were up as his tail lashed. "And I'm going to take his hands for it."

Everything hung suspended for several long moments. Then Lucci was gone and the battle was on.

Cool and calm as he was deadly, the Surgeon of Death slipped through the crowd and whispered in Luffy's ear, "I can fix all of this with as minimal bloodshed as possible."

The Pirate King nodded, relaxing slightly. A wave of tension ran through the gathered masses at that, and the closest to them dared to glance at the central group. Then Law ducked away. He wove through the crowd, removing body parts as he needed, only to replace them as he got closer. Then, with his sword in one hand and his Room spinning in the other, he darted across the open space, coat billowing out behind him. His eyes were locked on Blueno and he flung the Room like a shuriken, murmuring under his breath, grasping the hilt of his sword as soon as the blue light was airborne. He leapt from the ground following the power, all in the blink of an eye.

"Shambles!"

CLANG!

His blade met the hardened arm of the former CP member, and a smile broke across the enemy's face that drained the color from the surgeon's. A hand grasped the back of his neck, and his eyes went wide. His Room! It was... turned... against him?! What?! He tried to tug back, but couldn't move. Frantic eyes sought Luffy in the crowd, and he opened his mouth, only to have horror flood his face. He spasmed in the phantom grip, black not-space radiated from the pair, engulfing the entire battlefield before anyone could move. Gone were the cleared expanses of dirt and grass, even the sky. All of it was blocked out by the blackened walls of the Door's not-space, but threaded with pale blue of Law's Room. It twisted and writhed around them, trapping everyone, but somehow, not together.

Kaya realized slowly she was surrounded in blue-swirled black. It took her at least another two minutes to realize she wasn't restrained in any way. There were no hands on her. And she heard a furious screaming like a demon from Hell, but no harsh laughter. She took a step, cautiously, and yes, she really was free.

It was a novel experience. One she wasn’t sure she truly could understand, especially as she glanced around more carefully. True, while she was no longer being physically restrained or watched, she was fairly certain that getting out of the labyrinthine Hell into which the Jabberwocky had plunged them all was going to prove impossible on her own.

Wandering the twisting corridors for a while, she spied others ahead of her. Nami, suspended above the floor, which meant that foul man, Absalom, was carrying her around, and a tall, blond man with one leg on fire. Coming closer gave her a good look at his face, and she mentally noted that aside from the sunshine hair, he really didn’t look anything like his old wanted posters. But being the intelligent woman she was, Kaya knew he could only be one person.

"Sanji-san! Sanji-san," she sprinted the last few feet, grabbing a hold of his arm, and panting slightly.

He supported her instantly. Though he didn’t know her, he still firmly believed that no woman could actually be evil. However, at the same time, he couldn’t devote all of his attention to her, like he knew she deserved, his precious mellorine was finally within his sights. All he had to do was kick the shitty pervert-cat’s ass again, and both Nami and her baby would be safe.

“I’m sorry, sweet lady, if you’ll just—“

“Sanji-san, you have to be careful!!” Kaya insisted, trying to catch her breath more quickly. He started to respond but she shook her head, “Nami’s in labor! I know you’ll get us out but…”

Piercing blue eyes, one mostly obscured by his hair, flashed down at her. "Nami's what? She's... oh!" His swirled eyebrows shot up as it dawned on him what the petite white flower was telling him. He frowned in determination. "No worries, precious lady, I'll not let that fiend harm a hair on Nami-swan's head. She and the little one will be safe as they would be aboard the Sunny. I assure you. Now, find yourself a quiet place to keep your own beloved cargo safe."

He took her hand from his arm, pressed a gentle kiss to her fingers, and dropped it to her own rounded belly. Then darted away, with a puff of smoke, after where last he'd 'seen' the blasted feline, fire burning in his eyes.

Absalom was still invisible, eyes tracking Kaya as he continued to hold his precious, beloved lioness close protectively. She was so lovely. So fierce. She never gave in and oh, it only made him love her so much more. She was his perfect match.

He flinched at the threat in the vicious roaring outside the room that echoed in through the labyrinth's walls. Fuck. The things that leopard was promising...

It made him hug Nami and himself into a more defensible position. Where the fuck had that volatile blond gone?

Nami, herself, curled around her belly as best she could in the beast-man's arms. She was sweating with the force of holding back her contractions. Her little fighter wanted out! And he wanted it NOW! She knew they were concealed by his power, but she prayed that Sanji could hear her. So she did nothing to quiet the moans of pain with each ripple of muscles through her body. The gag muffled her some, and she thrashed her head to try and loosen it. It took several minutes of the men circling each other, Sanji jumping from air cloud to air cloud with his Sky Walk, and Absalom dancing just out of reach, before she finally got it wiggled out of her mouth. The soggy cloth dropped to her chest and twisted back and over the lion's arms.

"SANJI!! OVERH—NGH!!" Tears leaked from the corner of her eye, the contraction getting away from her with her elation at being able to speak.

The chef jerked, skidding to a stop just short of the wall—no one knew quite what would happen if he touched it—and darted in the direction of the sound, narrowing his eyes to following the distortion of air around his opponent. He zigged sideways, putting a hand on the grayed-out ground, his left leg swinging up and around into the warped shadow, confident he hit something solid by the reverberation that shivered up his muscles.

Absalom snarled and shifted Nami into a more secure hold, teeth vibrating as his left arm fell to his side, uselessly numb from the kick the chef had delivered. He'd blocked with his cannon, which was now crumpled and useless, but the reverberations had turned his arm nerveless. "Back off, Cook! You don't deserrrrve herrr!"

"You're one to fucking talk! She isn't mine anyway! Put the lady down before I make you, pussy cat!!" Sanji landed on the foot he'd used to demolish the weapon, the cloud of dust giving him an even better outline of where the kidnapper was. He could see Nami shivering in his arm and used the momentum of front flipping over his left leg to slam the hell of his right into the over-grown kitty's shin, his arms outstretched to catch his Queen before she could hit the ground.

The cat-man howled as his leg gave, bone cracking and splintering, but lashed out at Sanji's hands, missing and realizing only after he hit the ground that Nami was no longer safely in his grasp. That bastard had stolen her! AGAIN! He lunged furiously for those dangerous legs, clawing, biting, wanting to make him pay but knowing his leg would not let him pursue the bastard.

He was left to quiver in pain on the floor, now visible as he couldn't concentrate, and bleeding from his shattered leg. Damn Hogback for not making him more resilient!

Two Sky Walk steps later, Sanji was setting Nami down next to Kaya. He tucked a piece of bright orange hair behind the Queen's ear with a gentle sort of nervousness, as she was currently in the middle of a contraction and couldn't answer on her own.

He pressed a kiss to her brow, taking mental note of her body temperature and the sweat, "Shh, Nami-swan, we'll get you out of here as soon as we possibly can. You're doing great."

As soon as the contraction ended, the ginger blinked up at the faces of her Nakama. “Sanji-kun. This is Kaya, Usopp’s wife.”

“Usopp’s… oh!” The cook’s eyes widened as they dropped to the slightly less-pregnant woman’s stomach. “That means that’s…?”

Somehow in the midst of the turmoil, hardship, and chaos, Kaya managed to smile proudly, tears in the corners of her eyes, “Uh huh!”

Sanji lifted a hand as though to touch, only to be stopped by Nami grabbing it with a vice grip. She cried out, eyes squeezed shut and her other hand pulling on Kaya’s dress-sleeve. “NNNGAAHHHH!!!!”

The physician snuck her own fingers in to rescue their savior’s, and her eyes held a quiet urgency. “Sanji-san, we need a way out!”

The blond gave a nod, and stood, cool as a cucumber to make his way back to the defeated pervert. One step; a hand into his jacket to withdraw a cigarette. Two steps; cigarette to his lips, lighter in the other hand. Three steps; the lighter flicked, the cup of his hand keeping the flame from being visible. A fourth, and final step; a deep inhale and slow release, accompanied by the soft burn of the cherry on the tip as he stuck the lighter back in his jacket pocket. He took it from his lips, preceding the cloud of smoke that drifted away from him as he stood over the broken cat-man.

"Talk."

Across the twisting labyrinth, Killer looked at Bepo. Then back to the walls of the room.

"...Cap is in there," the bear began.

The swordsman responded, "Mhm."

"And we're out here."

"Mhm."

"Cap is sick and needs us."

"Mhm."

The bear wrinkled his nose at the blond, showing an inadvertent flash of teeth. "Is that all you really have to say?!"

"You're the one with the wall-breaking martial arts skills.” Killer gave no reaction to the flare of temper, speaking calmly, “And you've been with Law longer. Can we break that wall?"

Bepo flushed, admonished for his outburst anyway. He coughed, "Well it's not EXACTLY Captain's Room," he brought a paw to his chin thoughtfully, "And he's not the one in control so I'm sure it's likely to be more solid than it would be normally."

"So we can carve our way through."

"Yes, I think so."

"That was all I needed to know."

In a flash of blond and black and polka dots, Killer was off the beach and slamming sickle-first into the wall, accompanied by the bear. They hacked, slashed, punched, kicked, knife-chopped, and Bepo even tried head-butting it with the reinforcement of Killer’s helmet. Their attack was furious and unrelenting and…

Ended in a spectacular load of nothing.

By the time the dust settled, the fighters had left, quite literally nothing against the wall. A noise behind them, made them turn, and the smug eyebrow raise had no place on the long-nosed man with the black slingshot planted in the sand between and behind them.

"Gentlemen, if you'd allow a professional..."

He drew back his aim and his eyes narrowed, the shot was perfect, it exploded right where the other two had been beating on the wall, meaning it should have used the weakness to its advantage and brought the black-and-blue tile shattering to the ground like glass. But no. Nothing. Just like the other two sets of attacks. The sniper sighed heavily under the disapproval of the other two. Then it was like an exchange of determination among the three and they were at it again. Blades, fists, and kabuto.

So focused on their task were they that none of them noticed the behavior of the sand on the beach around them, rising to mingle in the dust cloud caused by their attempts to get through the wall.

Further down the beach, Lucci had finally calmed upon catching Absalom's howls of pain- well, perhaps 'calmed' wasn't the right word. More like, he re-engaged his higher thinking functions. Right now he was with Helmeppo tending an unconscious Kaku and snarling impotently at the combination Door-Room labyrinth every few minutes. He'd practically prostrated himself before Ivankov and was now running on an adrenaline shot, but he couldn't get in to use it while it lasted. At least, not yet. Soon. Blueno's Door had a weakness: it was a door, so it had to go somewhere. It had to have a beginning and an end.

Helmeppo, for his part, sat quietly. His partner was in there. His Admiral was without his right hand. He was saving every scrap of strength for when he managed to get inside and Coby would need him.

"Lucci-boy, sit! All that pacing isn't going to do anybody a lick of good and sure as hell isn't going to help get you into that place. Think for a bit. We've got some of the brightest minds here, right there, Helmo-boy? Running full force at the wall isn't going to break it down." The Queen of the Okama had himself set up with a tea table from the ship, and the medics from the marines were tending the scrapes and bruises that all had suffered in the initial attack, but they were cut off from everyone else. "You aren't the only one worried about the candies inside the maze."

"How can you be so calm!?" The Snake Princess fumed from her own worried pacing. "Luffy is in there! He could be hurt, could be dying! And all you can think of is tea?! Don't you care!?!"

"Watch yourself, Hebi-girl." Ivankov's smile hardened. "Losing our tempers won't solve the problem, or help them."

"UGH!" Boa stamped her foot, her hands in fists and stormed away with her back to the Okama.

One of her Amazon's appeared at her elbow with a cool drink, "Hebi-hime-sama, I-I don't mean t-to speak out of turn..." She glared and the huntress wilted, but pressed forward, "L-Lord D-Dragon, L-Lord Luffy's father, is in there too."

The connection between the President and the Okama Queen was well known, and Hancock's hand flew to her mouth as she spun around again, sympathy written across her face, tears welling up in her eyes. "Oh!" With a shake of her head, she made her way back to the circle of chairs the Marines had set out for them.

She took one with as much dignity as she could muster, given her embarrassing display, "Perhaps some thought would be a good idea after all."

Her thoughts clustered and swarmed like angry clouds in her mind, tossing and pitching for some solution to how to get at the missing people inside the walls…

Another part of the maze opened up and Smoker looked around at who was in the room with him. Tashigi, by his side as always. And that Zoro brat. Fuck. Zoro would charge in headfirst and get his fool ass killed. Fucking Strawhats. And they were trapped in here with Bellamy of all enemies. Well there was nothing for it.

Zoro was going to rush the spring man when he realized he was too late Smoker was rocketing forward, a snaking column of deadly white smoke.

The cackle of laughter and spark of Haki weren't completely unexpected but the force of the fist that connected with the grizzled Marine's jaw was. The Hyena was bouncing on his legs, one punch to get some space, and then jump back to the wall, coil both legs and launched off the strange, not exactly solid, material with the force of a shotgun, fist coiled back, and tongue flying like a dog hanging its head out the window of a speeding land vehicle. And he was still laughing when they collided again in an explosion of smoke.

Smoker spread himself wide and thick and more importantly dense, making himself as good a barrier as he could between the demented blond and the two younger fighters, snarling as his upper body formed out of the smoke to meet the second attack. Unfortunately, he wasn't as young as he used to be, and the first hit had shaken him more than he realized.

The second hit connected, and even his Haki armor didn't do him much good because of the sheer force and he felt something pop. The next thing he knew, he was solid and staring up into the face that was both like and yet grotesquely unlike Doflamingo's, lip curling to bare his teeth like the cornered wolf he was.

Zoro tensed up as the fog vaporized like a morning mist. Smoker was an ally, a strong one, and the fact that Bellamy had knocked him solid so easily didn't settle well with him. But again, he was beaten to the punch… it wasn't his sword that blocked the next meeting of spring and flesh, but Tashigi's. He resolutely decided the growl on his lips was anger at the Hyena, not disappointment at being cut off twice.

"CAPTAIN!" Tashigi shrieked, dashing across the room, her sword drawn and her eyes on fire.

She always fell back on familiar titles when she was stressed. But she misjudged the distance, and slid. Her form didn't lose much, but the wild arc of her sword took it too far out of defensive range. So as she landed, on her feet, between her superior officer and the former-Pirate, her chest and stomach were wide open, an advantage Bellamy just simply couldn't let pass up. He drew back, spiraling his entire arm into a wicked spring with a nasty barb on the end. In slow motion, he released it, her eyes went wide behind her frames, someone yelled and the sickening sound of metal impaling a body echoed through the rush of blood in everyone's ears.

"NO!"

The echo came from both men, but Zoro had been faster. Through a combination of Hawk Vision and flash-step, Zoro had been able to shove Tashigi out of the way of the spring just in time... only to take it himself, right to the center of his back. Close to his spine.

Before Bellamy quite knew what had happened he was hit in the chest with the end of a jutte and forced backwards or risk the seastone tip turning him into a weakling.

The vice-admiral blinked, something warm, wet, and oh-so-red dripped onto her forehead. She wiped at it with the back of her hand, and it smeared across her skin and glasses. "Z-zoro!"

The Strongest Swordsman coughed, spat to the side, and smirked down at Tashigi. "Well... lookie there...Marine girl. Looks like... we got in... each other's way again."

He wobbled then, the spring retracted from his flesh making him hiss and choke on pain and blood.

Zoro hacked up more blood and vaguely wondered if Bellamy had hit anything important. It didn't feel like it, but then, it never did. He wouldn't know until the docs got a hold of him. But Tashigi was safe. That was what counted. He had lost Kuina… he wasn't going to let her mirror image leave this world early as well.

"W-why!? WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!" She was crying. Damn it to Hell! She scrabbled out from under him, her sword on the ground, forgotten. "YOU STUPID PIRATE!! WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?"

He laughed. "Why? Why wouldn't I? I wanted to."

Smoker turned his attention to the boy. "That's all you have to give her? You wanted to?"

"We don't have time for the whole story," the swordsman shot back dryly, then promptly hacking up another glob of blood and spitting it aside. "We have a psycho spring to kill right now."

But said psycho-spring had, apparently in that single moment of interaction among the three, disappeared. The space where he had been was empty, and no sign of him remained but for a smeared bloody handprint on the black-n-white rock where he'd landed after Smoker's jutte had clocked him across the temple. Not that Tashigi was paying attention to that. Now on her feet, she pressed both hands to the front of Zoro's shirt, wadding up the material to soak up the blood ineffectually.

"L-lay down!" Her voice shook, but she tried to command him. "Y-you need... need to lay down! To stop the bl-bleeding! Ms. R-Robin would n-never forgive me, and M-Mr. Law would h-have my head, if you die."

Smoker slammed himself into the wall, looking for whatever way out Bellamy had used as Zoro, for a change, listened to a lady and laid the fuck down.

"I'll be fine, y'know," he grumbled. "Been through worse. And I couldn't let him kill you."

"B-but why!?" She was still crying damnit, and she couldn't bring herself to stop.

"I had a childhood friend. Her name was Kuina and she made me a deal. One of the two of us had to be the best swordsman in the world one day. The next day, she tripped on the stairs and died. You... you look just like her. You have that same passion for the blade. I can't... I can't stand the thought... that you might join her. It's too soon. I can't let this person die again." He sighed and ran his bloody hand through his hair. Even if they weren't really the same person, it was like Kuina's spirit lived on in Tashigi. He couldn't let her die again.

The noise she made was somehow both strangled and expelled at the same time, a fresh wave of tears pouring down her face. "W-well! I... I can't let you d-die either! D-damn it!"

Smoker's voice joined hers, raspy and deep and painful. "I am not going to fucking sit here and watch another brat die! I fucking refuse, you green haired son of a bitch, do you hear me? You're not allowed to die," he snarled at the pirate.

Zoro laughed again, and winced as the movement pulled on his wounds. "Well with both of you in agreement, I suppose it's settled then, ne? I'm not gonna die."

As soon as the words left his lips, a wheezing cough bubbled up from the hole in his chest, and a fresh pulse of the dark liquid squeezed out between Tashigi's fingers. An echoing trickle stained the swordsman's lips, and his vision doubled. Shit, maybe the springy fucker had hit something important. Well, the cook wasn't gonna be happy about that. Was the girl saying something? Shouting? Was... that sand? Oh wow... when did the world get so dark? And... spongy? Like... breathing... through... pudding...?


	26. Checkmate! All the King's Horses and All the King's Men!

“Ah!”

Robin curled her spine, turning her back to shield herself behind the wall of hands that sprang from the ground just before the boulder in front of her exploded. The shower of rocks and broken ground was just as unnerving this time as it had been since meeting up with their antagonist. Occasionally stone could be white or black, but never as devoid of color as these. And the only place that checkerboard pattern belonged was on a checkerboard!

The cry of ‘STRONG RIGHT’ over her head brought a twist of warmth into her belly and a scowl to her face at the same time. The steel fist crash into that strange blue-black wall that was all around them, and the sound it made rang oddly in her ears. Almost like it was hollow and made of some flexible glass rather than any substance either archeologist or shipwright knew. The closest comparison Robin could make was the porthole windows of Law’s submarine, but even that wasn’t quite right.

The reverberation covered the rattle of footsteps, and when the dust cloud settled, Robin gave a growl of frustration. “Oh! I almost had him.” She rounded on her… well, on the cyborg. “Why are you following me, Franky?! I am perfectly capable of defending myself.”

“S’not the point, Bobby,” the blue haired man calmly slipped his synthskin glove into the pocket of his shirt, and adjusted his shades, “I didn’t let ya sacrifice yerself at Water Seven or Mariejois, I‘m not gonna let ya sacrifice yerself here.”

That box within her, so stuffed with her emotions from months of planning and fantasizing, was hammering at her willpower. It creaked and weighed heavily on her mind as though it was a real burden she had to carry around physically. She felt like she had the first time he’d reached into her head and told her what she needed to hear. And, just as then, surprisingly her resolve felt no weaker for it.

Still, she whipped back around. Not yet. It wasn’t safe. Not yet. She couldn’t let it go. Not until their quarry was caught and dealt with.

The slippery man was even oilier than Sanji had described him, and far more disgusting. After whatever punishment Blueno had extracted for failing to break the Strawhats’ resolve back at the All Blue. Really, it was almost enough to pity him. Bellamy couldn’t have know Luffy had touched the baby. So sending Fullbody to claim paternity would have been a good ploy, if not for that. And because it hadn’t worked, not completely, the price had been in flesh.

Now, Fullbody was less than half his former self.

Robin hadn’t gotten a very good look but it seemed like his jaw and legs had been replaced with someone else’s. Especially his chin, which now sported a strange fungal growth instead of a beard. It was striped in red and black and caused Fullbody some significant distress, as he’d spent the whole fight running and hiding, using distractions like blowing up that boulder to put distance between himself and the Strawhats.

Even now, as they rounded the bend into a wide cul-de-sac, he was pawing at the wall in tears instead of facing them. Whatever had been left of the cook’s nemesis was gone now.

Then he saw them and screamed, a wild and desperate look in his eye, “ALL YOUR FAULT!”

He launched himself foolishly at them and was caught mid-air by both. Franky peppered his front with a round of machine gun fire from this left wrist and Robin spawned hand on hands that grabbed him around the legs, arms, and neck.

He thrashed, coughing up blood from the gun wounds, “All your fault, STRAWHAT!! Wouldn’t’ve died. Would’ve survived. Could’ve been happy. Never got my second chance! STRAWHAT!! DAMN YOU!! Stole him from me. Should’ve lived. Should’ve been there. Should’ve listened.” At some point he broke down sobbing again, pleading, “Kill me…”

By then Robin’s fury had eased. Now she saw the man as the victim he was; joined on the wrong side because someone dear to him had died, presumably at one of the major battles of the Great War, as they had been the only ones that included the Strawhats themselves. The once mighty and proud Fullbody, an officer in the navy with a full life ahead of him, broken and hopped up on so many toxins it was hard to tell if he was up or down. The mood swings suggested psychotics. The rambling suggested hallucinogenics. His energy level meant stimulants. The tears and disconnected awareness meant depressants. It was like a Molotov cocktail in his system, and without either Law or Chopper on hand, neither Robin nor Franky could do anything to help him.

So the archeologist brought him to the ground, though she never let go, and asked gently, “Where did you lose him?”

Fullbody was weeping now, gentle rivers running down his cheeks. He spoke with a distant, wistful tone, “My Jango. Sweet precious dancer. To the Holy Land, where we could tango on their tombstones, and waltz among the wild flowers. Tee hee hee heeeee. Mimsy are the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe~!” He grew tense in her grasp and surged forward towards her, fire in his eyes, “BEWARE THE JABBERWOCK MY SON!!! BEWARE!!! BEWARE!!! THEY STOLE HIM!!!”

Once again he fell lax, murmuring about his beloved dancer, and Robin felt more than heard Franky re-settle his weapons.

Mariejois then. The most loss of life had been there. The Tenryuubito had refused to give up without a fight and until Doflamingo had disrupted the slave collars, the world nobles had been winning. There wasn’t a single pirate that flew the Strawhat flag that had escaped the Holy Hell without a tragedy of some kind.

And the memory proved to be one emotion too much for her box.

Robin released Fullbody, her face full of shared sorrow. Aokiji had been among the last to fall, and his death continued to resonate against the scars of her childhood. It was as though with the former admiral gone, she truly was the only survivor of Ohara.

“I’m so sorry for y—“

“Cruel woman.” The ex-marine spat, forcing himself to shaky feet.

Franky shifted his weight, aiming his left wrist again. He missed the ones who’d fallen too, but they weren’t out of the maze just yet…

“Cruel, cruel, woman, “Fullbody cursed. “You would walk away and leave me to live. Carry his memory like his body. KILL ME!!”

Like the final burst of fury from a dying beast, he launched himself at them. Whatever fight his body had left, he poured into trying to cause some damage; all form lost, his hands curled into grabbing claws, he foamed at the mouth with bloody spittle, and his eyes were bright and bloodshot, wide in their sockets with pinpricks for pupils. Never before had murder been so plainly written.

Then he took a Machine Gun Left to the face, and went flying into a wall.

Sunshine streamed in where the Room-Door dissolved, revealing the beach beyond and a clamoring gaggle of Okama. Usopp shouted something, and Bepo and Killer were right behind him, rushing up the sand past Ivankov and the wounded. It seemed several groups of allies had made it out of the Devil Fruit Labyrinth, but Franky and Robin were first Strawhats.

“Franky!”

In shock, Robin turned on him, expecting some kind of… something. She didn’t know what, but it certainly wasn’t the quiet regret that hung on his face. She stood slowly, searching the dark lenses of his glasses for some explanation.

When she received none, she reached out carefully, “Franky?”

“Don’t forget you aren’t the only one to have grown up alone, Bobby.” He settled his arm back into neutral position and pulled his sunglasses off so she could see his eyes. “We did things we wouldn’t wish on our greatest enemies and faced things the others can’t even imagine. I know something of life on the run. After Tom-san…” He had to clear his throat and wipe a stray tear from his cheek. “After he died, most of Water Seven was on the lookout for me. And then the train… but there’s somethin’ different here, Bobby.”

She took her hat from her head, holding it before her and feeling very small. What he was about to say was obvious, but she knew he needed to say it as much as she needed to hear it. So she kept quiet, looking up at him.

Peripherally they were both aware of Ivankov and his Okama keeping Usopp and the others from swarming them, but neither paid it any attention, as Franky cleared his throat again.

“This time we aren’t alone. And we haven’t been alone since Luffy took out CP9… the first time, I mean. Cuz fuck! Blueno!? Seriously, I mean fuck! That guy used ta give me half off on my…” he trailed off, catching the beginnings of a smile on her face. “Right.”

He pulled her to him and scooped her up, one arm around her waist, the other gently caressing her cheek. It took her all of a moment to toss the hat that belonged to Ms All-Sunday to the wind and sprout enough hands to pull him down for a commanding kiss. She hadn’t lost him!

And she didn’t need to be Ms. All Sunday anymore!

Maybe they should have paid more attention to their Nakama though. At that moment, right as their lips touched and everything seemed like something out of a movie script, the world short circuited. Or rather, Franky short circuited.

His arms spasmed, and only a flourish of flower petals allowed Robin to escape being crushed as all of the metal in the cyborg’s body curled inward for several heartbeats. Just long enough for his panicked eyes to meet hers. She mouthed the word ‘no’ and shook her head. But reaching for him…

There was a flash of blue-ish black, and the augmentations embedded into his body exploded outward in a deadly rain of sparking servos and live ammunition.

When the dust settled and the screaming stopped, Robin dared to let her hand-shield drop just in time for his faceplate to slide down a mound of sand to her feet. She screamed in both rage and terror.

“Oh dear me, looks like Humpty Dumpty’s fallen off the wall again.” The voice came from everywhere and nowhere, “What will you do, Alice? EEYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall! Humpty Dumpty had a great fall! All the King’s Horses and all the King’s Men… tra la-la la-la la-la~”

“JABBERWOCKY!!!!!!!!!!!”

The shout came out of nowhere, and Haki swept the island. All across Jaya Devil Fruit users found their abilities paused, most of them fell unconscious. The wounded and the Cards and a good percentage of the non-Fruit users joined them barely a moment later. Cries of fear and shouts of pain went up, echoed by cheers of victory and prayers of joy, as the maze disintegrated. In its wake it exposed Blueno, Hogback, Sarkies, and an unconscious Law standing in the center of a large hill that had once been the main town. Somewhere to the right a sandstorm covered a portion of trees and rocks. To the left a commotion of bodies swarmed the beach where a cotton candy colored ship had just arrived.

But just beyond where Robin knelt in the sandy grass cradling her husband’s skull stood the leaders of the world, and the source of the power.

Luffy had point, Coby on one side, Dragon on the other. Behind them gathered a collection of innocents, who all scrabbled for freedom as soon as they saw it was possible. At some point Sabo had arrived through the ground with a wave of Revolutionary soldiers, and had the remaining Cards in chains. Along with him were the remaining members of the council that had met in Coby’s office, returned from their mission to Skypiea, though Robin couldn’t tell if they’d been successful. However, it was with their help that the center of the conflict was cleared so that the three world leaders could approach the self-named Jabberwocky and his lackeys.

“Well, well, well. Isn’t this an amusing surprise~!” Blueno jeered, “Go on then. Show little Alice what good it is trying to put her man back together again.”

Coby tried to put a hand on the Pirate King’s steaming shoulder, “Luffy, he has point. We’re at partial power without—“

“JABBERJAW I’M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS!!”

“Luffy…” Dragon growled. “Going in cocksure is exactly what he wants. Wait a moment!”

The rubber man wasn’t listening, as usual, and started forward in spite of the continued disagreement between his father and brother.

“Hee hee hee. How quaint, the Lion and the Unicorn fighting over the White King. It’s almost a pity none will live to see the young prince born.”

Those words signed Blueno’s death certificate.

Luffy launched himself with a Jet Pistol right into the big man’s face without further warning, and Coby and Dragon were right behind him.

Sarkies took Dragon clotheslining Hogback out cold to turn tail, but found himself tripping over his own feet as the thoughts in his head muddled to the point of disorientation. Coby inverted his Observation Haki to overwhelm the man’s mind, making short work of him. The Fleet Admiral turned his attention to Law, and in a split second decision, gathered the older man up into his arms as best he could to make a break for the beach.

“IVA!! Blueno’s done something to him, he shouldn’t have dropped unconscious like that!” He fretted, using the Okama Queen’s tea table as a gurney.

“He’s in good hands now, Coby-boy. Go help our king! We’ll take care of him.” Ivankov snapped his fingers as Coby gave a nod and ran off. He eyes drifted to the coast beyond the sandstorm. “Best hurry yourself, Birdy-boy, things are getting out of hand…”

Back at the battle, Luffy found himself flying face first into his father’s Dragon Talons. The older man tried to pull back but it did little to stop the force of his Haki-reinforced blow. The Pirate King cried out in pain, but thanks to his Devil Fruit was able to warp around the claw-like grip so that nothing internally was damaged.

Coby took the distraction to fire off three seastone shots from his pistol, aimed perfectly for Blueno’s head, only to find Dragon stumbling to the side, his shoulder torn open in three places. The Fleet Admiral snarled and fired again and only Luffy’s Observational Haki kept him from getting a bullet to the gut.

“WATCH IT!!”

“Put that thing away, boy! You’ll do more harm than good while he’s got that blasted power up and running!”

“Sorry! I’m not as much of a physical fi—URK!” Coby froze, blood spurting from his mouth as a sword appeared in his stomach.

“COBY!” Both Monkeys shouted in different tones.

He fell to his knees, hands on the sword as the blood stained his uniform. He looked up, shocked and scared at the other two. But just as he was about to fall over the man behind the blade stepped out of one of Blueno’s doors to wrap him in a steel spring, holding him upright.

The blond’s expression was deranged, and only the shock of Coby’s assault kept Luffy from tackling him, as he bounced on coiled legs around his prey. “Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe. All mimsy were the borogoves, and the mome raths outgrabe~!”

Like some child’s toy, Bellamy sprung back and forth between Dragon, who had a hold of Luffy, and the injured Coby. His grin was too wide; his eyes were vacant of coherent thought. He seemed to lost in some kind of daze, taken in by the nonsense poem he continued to sing at the top of his lungs.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch!" He seemed to focus on Luffy, stretching a coil in his neck so he could peer at the Pirate King upside down, “Hast though slain the Jabberwock? I. Think. Not. Rubber boys don’t have vorpal swords, and Swordsman’s gone to rot~! EEYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

At that point, there was nothing Dragon could do to keep his son from assaulting the man who’d kidnapped his wife. So the President of the Red Line took the smart road… letting him go.

“Gomu… Gomu…” His fist pulled back nearly across the island. “No…” The skin was black as pitch and reflective with Haki. “Red… HAWK!”

Flames ignited along the Pirate King’s arm from the bicep down to his fist from the friction of the air passing over it as he brought it forward again. It built up speed and momentum, the fireball growing hotter and hotter the closer it got to his target.

And never once did Bellamy move. The same unhinged smile spread from ear to ear, just like his idol’s jolly roger.

Mere moments from the infamous attack landing on the batty blond, a Door opened and the fire was engulfed by the not-world between places. All over the island people screamed, as bursts of flame were ejected out of thin air. It took the cry of his father beside him to break Luffy’s concentration enough to pull his hand back. Dragon was on the ground clutching his face and rolling in the torn up grass with flickers of the unnatural fire clinging to his jacket and shoulder.

“TOUSAN!” Luffy tried to run to him, but was stopped.

Bellamy had both hands arched over the fallen Revolutionary’s form, wrapping him in springs the same way he had Coby, and malicious laughter came from behind the Pirate King.

“Don’t take your eyes off your opponent, Mugiwara. I thought you’d learned that lesson long ago when we first crossed paths.” Blueno sneered, looming over the shorter man.

Pushed to the point of fury without words, Luffy again launched himself at his enemy, fists flying close and tight in the hopes that at least one of them would land. But over and over again and again Blueno evaded, his Doors opening and closing so fast only their combined Haki could tell where each was going next. To the outside world they were nothing but a blur.

This part Blueno remembered from the last time they fought, and he made no issue of redirecting the Pirate King over the whole island. From the ruins of Mock Town to where Montblanc Cricket had once lived, and back again. The misdirected blows seemed to only further anger the wronged man, as each person that fell victim to his own power was another slight against the Jabberwocky.

From where he guarded Dragon and Coby, Bellamy sang, “No vorpal blade! Tee hee tee hoh! No warpy, vorpal, worpal blade~!”

In return, Luffy let himself be tossed around the island, keeping Blueno’s attention. Somewhere at the edges of his senses, something was coming. He just needed to hold out. No matter how the Haki-reinforced strikes sliced his skin, or the blood he spit to the ground before retaliating. He just needed to keep the bastard busy. Hold his attention. Draw it out. Make it last longer. Gear Second was enough. No need to bring out the big guns just yet.

Back and forth. Shave. Shigan. Jet Pistol. Geppo. Kami-e. Gatling. Stamp. Until finally both stood where they began, clothes in a tattered mess, blood stains and bruises blossoming where each had gotten lucky on the other. One half of Blueno’s hair was gone, sliced off from the heat of another Red Hawk, and Luffy had long since lost his shirt and sandals. They were somewhere among the rubble he was pretty sure, but at the moment he just didn’t have the ability to concentrate on it. Nor was it important.

His scowl was hard, his hat low. One fist was drawn up near his jaw and the other hand faced his enemy, palm out. The pink glow of his Gear Second was faded, the steam more like wisps from the points of his body, and though his breath wasn’t short, all who knew him could tell he was running low.

Not that Blueno was much better. His jacket barely held on by a single sleeve. His pants had tears across both thighs. He actually had a line of drying blood from his temple that made it look like he’d painted his face in rusty brown stripes. His eyes were hard though. He didn’t blink, and he didn’t look away. His forces were in ruins. It was obvious enough in the set of his jaw that he knew if he couldn’t wear down the Pirate King, his life would end there.

Which was just how he wanted it.

Finally, after hours of dancing around the island mostly on the defensive, Blueno charged Luffy, his fists drawn back with balls of the not-world stuff swallowing his hands to his wrists. He gave a mighty shout and dove in swinging, which Luffy blocked. But where the rubber met the not-world, it warped and twisted like someone pulled on it. Not having Luffy’s permission meant that it hurt, and the Pirate King grit his teeth against it, swinging impossibly stretched punches and kicks around the spots of pain. Where it was warped though didn’t stretch as well, and the younger man quickly found himself on the defensive for once.

Had the Jabberwocky been holding back!?

It certainly seemed like it as round two brought Luffy down under the larger man, pinned at the wrists, though his legs were coiled around Blueno’s waist.

“Not such a hotshot now, are you, Monkey D. Luffy?! Pirate King? HA! You’re still nothing but an upstart rookie brat with no business taking on the world! It doesn’t matter how many governments you bring down, you’re never going to be anything more than a self-absorbed nothing with delusions of grandeur.”

Luffy scrunched up his mouth, “So?”

“What do you mean, so?!” The Jabberwocky scoffed, “Too stupid to even know what half of those words mean!? Pure dumb luck! That’s all you have! Take away your friends and your ridiculous Devil Fruit and what are you? A nobody! A nothing! Not even worth the air you breathe!”

“Of course!” The Pirate King was even more confused.

“My life was perfect until you and your stupid band of nobodies refused to die! It wasn’t much, but it was my life! A good home, a solid place in the world, prospects for when I retired! And you took it all away! You and that dumb bitch you couldn’t just let die like she was SUPPOSED TO!”

He slammed the other’s head into the ground. Not that it did anything but break the rocks around them, but the frustration of it was catching attention.

That sandstorm to the East had stopped swirling, Smoker and the others with him revealed to the public’s eye. Though there was still a group near Sanji milling about, most of the Okama and Marines had recovered enough to take up their weapons again in the South. Sabo held the North shore with the Revolutionaries and Brook. And to the West…

Bellamy whimpered, shrinking down to the ground like a whipped dog.

The sound drew Blueno’s attention, “Hatter!”

But the blond made no answer. It was never certain whether the reaction was an older training that erased the conditioning he’d received at the hands of the Jabberwocky, or an effect of the forced magnetism from his clash with the Neverland pirates months ago, or even something deeper, more personal and inherent to the Hyena. But whatever it was, it held Bellamy frozen in place, staring at the setting sun.

The brunet growled, “HATTER!”

Again he received no response. Not even a twitch of recognition.

Due to the position with which he held Luffy, Blueno had to sacrifice his grip on the Pirate King’s wrists to turn towards his ally. It was strange in that Bellamy made no acknowledgement of him after having been so perfectly broken, but it was even stranger that his quarry didn’t move either. All the younger brunet did was grin as though nothing bad could ever go wrong in the world.

Blueno hated it.

He gave another sound of anger, and followed Bellamy’s line of sight. Both antagonists and the Pirate King were greeted by a long sinewy silhouette, framed in gold light like the coming of a messiah. His shoes were soft and flexible. His pants ended just below the knee, too high to be pants, but too long to be shorts. He was bent over slightly, giving his back a rounded appearance. And that coat… there had only ever been one duplicate, and he had possession of them both.

Strictly speaking it was impossible! The world over swore he was dead! That he’d fallen, literally, at the Battle of Mariejois against the cousins who had rejected him as a child for being so large. He simply could not have been standing there! Let alone striding up the broken main road like he owned the place, and certainly not calm as a sea cucumber with that dazzlingly wide smile, and those perfectly straight, piano-like teeth. He was a walking ghost; he couldn’t be real!

Blueno refused to accept it. He was under some kind of hallucination. The dead hypnotist’s mushroom. One of Hogback’s potions. A trick from the bowels of Thriller Bark. SOMETHING! ANYTHING to explain how a dead man was marching up on their battlefield without a care in the world and those DAMNABLE SUNGLASSES on his smug-ass face!!


	27. For Unto Them a Child is Born! The Humble Prince of Peace!

"What a pitiful puppeteer! Can't even make his own, but has to steal the marionette of a master, tsk tsk. Bellamy." Doflamingo snapped his fingers in a long-unused command to heel, never allowing his eyes to stray away from the reeling 'mastermind' behind this mess. "What a shame, what a shame. And you had such a nice little theme going here. But here's a tip, honey, from me to you: You can dress him up in your puppet's clothes, but underneath your Hatter is still a Hyena."

The motion was automatic, as he had been trained so long ago, said hyena dropped both of his prisoners to scramble to his master's side. He even sat like a dog, legs curled under him and fists on the ground, head bowed so that the back of his neck was bare should the original puppetmaster care to grab it.

Luffy took the opportunity to buck, throwing the Jabberwocky from him with a backbend that turned into a walkover to get back onto his feet. He wiped his cheek with the back of his arm, and grunted, "Mingo."

"Strawhat," Don greeted just as shortly.

As a reward for his hyena, he brushed the back of the younger man’s neck. He even ran his fingertips through the short blond hair, noting with irritation that there were mats and oil. All his toys were impressed with the importance of proper grooming; only the severe degeneration of his faculties would have allowed him to slip up in something so basic.

"I got word someone had been pulling strings that weren't his, and twisting my toy up in knots. Bad showmanship, very poor performance." He turned his head as though looking over the ruins of the battlefield, though in truth his eyes never left the bastard that dared touch his property and abuse it without his permission. "Very poorly put together, too. Shoddy background characters, terrible casting choice, and you couldn't even keep the company together. How could I let such a travesty of a show go on?"

Blueno wasted no time in answering the former shichibukai. He merely launched himself out of the rubble, eyes mad and intent on killing anyone who got in the way.

And someone got in the way alright.

Bellamy's hindbrain, the one that had the Rules embedded into his very soul, kicked into action. A Haki-infused spring launch pre-empted Luffy and Don's defenses, tackling the door-man around the waist with a sickening crunch. They rolled, end over end down towards the beach with the others hot on their trail. Someone was bleeding, badly from the looks of the stains, and by the time the grass and rocks gave way to sand, the hyena was pulverizing the Jabberwocky.

His fists flew, and life fluid flew with them. Blueno was clawing at him, trying to get a hit in between swings but the bouncy nature of his punches meant that the best the brunet could do was shigan through the tiny openings around his arms. Even that slowly tapered off as Don landed on the beach. At the point that it became painfully obvious… Bellamy was beating a corpse.

Throughout his assault though, the broken toy kept growling the same phrase. Over and over. "Rule number one. Rule number one."

Doflamingo let him pummel the corpse for an almost sickening amount of time. Actually he counted, just letting him turn what had once been an enemy into hamburger for almost three minutes before calling, "Bellamy. Enough. He's had his last curtain call."

He snapped his fingers again in case the words didn't get through, which in this case they might not. He'd used a very specific set of trigger words and phrases to set his attack dog on the unrecognizable lump of flesh on the ground now; ones that were burned so deeply it went past words and conscious thought. Nobody broke Rule One and got away with it. Nobody.

Strangely though, Bellamy didn't come. He stopped, blinking and staring into the distance, and slowly his head turned towards his master. It fell back, the fading sunlight illuminating his face. His right eye had been punctured at some point; the ooze pulsed down his cheek. His smile was vacant and faded, with cracked lips and pale—too pale—skin under the dirt and grime. He tried to come, slumping off of the mess he'd made, but he couldn't seem to coil right, his legs weren’t supporting him.

"Do-ffffl-ngo-s'ma..." He slurred just before he fell over.

"Shit." Doflamingo abandoned his composure, leaping to catch his subordinate.

Bellamy was still his, and still so loyal so many years later. He knelt down in the gory battlefield so Bellamy's head could rest in his lap. Like back when he'd still been a teenager, looking so desperately for comfort and not caring what training he had to put up with to get it.

"There, there puppy, shhh. It's alright. You did good," he told him softly, his voice proud and gentle as he started stroking his hair, ignoring the blood and ocular fluid that smeared on his palm. "It's okay. You did really, really good for me, Bellamy. You made me proud."

The younger blond was crying but he didn't seem to notice. His body was limp; he couldn't even bring up the energy to nuzzle into the petting, though it was clear he was attention starved. How long had he been without praise and affection? Judging by the fractured state of his mind before Don had made himself known it was likely that he hadn't had any for nearly a year. Or more, depending on how long the Jabberwocky had been planning everything.

Luffy shuffled his feet, frowning and clutching his hat in his hands. Some of the Okama medics were seeing to Dragon and Coby up on the hill. Smoker had appeared, bloody and worn, to examine Blueno's remains. And a thick hand gripped the Pirate King's shoulder for a moment, before the person stepped up to the two blonds.

"I don't have the reserve to do it again, Don. The green haired brat took most of it, and the rest went to staunching the other victims." The voice was rough, like sandpaper over velvet, and sad, as Crocodile stepped forward.

The puppetmaster swallowed thickly. "...I know." He took one really deep breath, a steadying sigh, and bent down so he could kiss Bellamy's bloody forehead. "I'm sorry, Bellamy, that I wasn't here sooner. And I'm sorry… that you had to be so alone. But you're not alone, now, I'm here. So you can relax, Bel. It’s okay. I love you, and I won't be disappointed. You deserve to have a little rest after doing so good for me. It's okay. I'm with you."

Bellamy closed his good eye, his features smoothing out into peacefulness, and he tried to lift an arm so he could hold his master. But the limb wouldn't respond. His shoulder moved, but the rest was made of lead, a few ridges of spring appearing in the skin without ever fully forming. Then he smiled, inhaling as deep as he could, "Pa... pa..."

And relaxed.

Like the sigh of breath at the end of a long, long, day, his presence flickered, then faded, and finally winked out. Too hard, too long, too much. The hyena's body just couldn't take it.

Silence seemed to fall around the battlefield for the moment. Most looked away, those that were close enough made signs to their gods for the easing of passage from this world to the next, and Luffy put his hat back on his head with the brim down low to cover his tears. Friend or foe, Bellamy hadn't deserved that kind of treatment, and his actions to remove the Jabberwocky placed him firmly back in the 'friend' category as far as the Pirate King went.

It took a few minutes before Doflamingo straightened up, and even then, he didn't rise, remaining on his knees and still stroking Bellamy's hair. And if his glasses couldn't contain the overflow of his very real emotional attachment to his hyena, who was there to mock what came dripping down his chin to wash the poor boy's face clean? His mouth was twisted into a twitchy, wobbly line, and he rocked a little bit when his chest heaved softly, though he made no sound.

Crocodile would grill his lover later for having been gone so long, but for now, he merely dissolved around him, giving him the privacy for his very real grief. At least for a little while.

A marine captain broke onto the scene with a sharp salute and a click of her heels, "Admiral Smoker sir. Sorry to disturb you, Sir. It seems we have the Jabberwocky's associates in custody, Sir. All Cards shuffled and accounted for. Vice Admiral Tashigi sent me to collect you and Strawhat, Sir. As highest ranking officer still conscious we need your decision on how to proceed. Sir."

He rubbed the back of his neck, sighing softly and lighting up two cigars to try and settle his emotions. "First priority is the injured. Ivankov’s got full access ta any Marine medic he needs. Have th’ ones that c’n be moved escorted off th’ island ta th’ nearest hospital base ASAP.” An exhale of smoke covered his shudder, “Deal with th’ zombies. Hogback’s famous fer that shit. And package th’ rest fer interrogation. At least some of ‘em were drugged or coerced inta this.”

His eyes drifted over to Doflamingo and Crocodile, and he took three deep inhales before he continued.

"Other than Blueno’s lackies no pirate 'ere is under our jurisdiction. Who we've got in custody we gotta turn over ta Strawhat and th' other pirates ta punish as they see fit. Once everyone's sorted, load 'em up and ship 'em out. Prison's still fuckin' good for somethin'. Once th’ criminals are shipped out, then we pack up an' leave."

"Sir, yes, Sir!" She clicked her heels again, and marched off, ponytail-mohawk streaming behind her as she barked orders at her subordinates as soon as they were in range.

When similar folks came up to Luffy as he was looking for the rest of his Nakama, the only order he gave was to salt them. If they were zombies, their shadows would go back to their original owners, if they weren't... well, a mouthful of salt would serve most of them right as punishment, as far as the Pirate King thought.

"That's NOT where that goes, Baka-burg!" Franky, at the moment just a head in his fiancé’s lap, shouted at his foster brother.

Iceburg threatened him with a wrench, and growled, "Then YOU do it, Baka-anky! I don't handle mechanics like this usually!!"

"All the more reason to leave it to Kidd-boy! Heehaw!" Ivankov posed almost as extravagantly as their cyborg patient.

"I can't make heads or tails of what the fuck the metal's tellin’ me, man, I swear to you," Kidd replied grumpily where he was attempting to make his arm re-attach to his shoulder through sheer force. "It's really too organic for me to make as much sense out of it as if it was all metal, you didn't exactly go easy on the augmentations!"

"Try being blown up twi—" A hand sprouted across his mouth.

Robin smiled down at them all. She was perched on a larger hand, serving as a chair so that Franky had the right vantage point to see what they were doing. "Has there been any word on your partner, Kidd-san? It seems between the two of you, this should be easier."

Kidd flinched, looking over to the medical-bay area set up by Ivankov. "He still hasn't woken up."

"What about Mini-Ace's first mate?!" Luffy broke into the conversation, gathering all of their attention.

Kidd stared at him. "How the fuck do you—nevermind. Never mind. We... don't know yet," he admitted slowly. "There's nobody that specializes in that kind of medicine with us, and as long as Law's still unconscious...."

"Mm." Where the drumstick of roasted bird came from nobody wanted to know, "as soon as Chopper's done with Zoro, I'm sure Traffy's the next one on his list."

This was said with the most nonchalant of expressions as the Pirate King wandered off seemingly without a care in the world. Like his wife hadn't just been kidnapped for months, his allies attacked relentlessly, and his first mate wasn't kissing death's door thanks to a spring through his liver. Though really, looking at it from Luffy's point of view, the hard stuff was over. Now all that needed to happen was everybody to get a good chunk of their favorite foodstuffs and they'd be all better again. Because that was how it worked, right?

Kidd just sighed and went back to work on his arm. They had Chopper and the fighting was done now. All that did really remain was to heal and recover from the horrors this battle had caused. Some, Kidd suspected as he glanced over at the sand cloud still hiding the bird man, would take much longer than others.

Luffy meandered further into the medic area. He was calm, one could even say peaceful. He carried himself with a familiar sort of ease that had several of the older generation actually relaxing unconsciously. Though the carefree grin still hung about his lips, there was a maturity about him that came only from being a veteran of now three wars.

He snickered at Lucci and his companions. Kaku was sitting on the large cat, though it seemed the Adrenaline Shot had worn off as not even his tail was twitching, and Luffy was sure it would have been if the leopard could have managed it. Judging by the combined aura of disapproval coming from Kalifa, in the next bed, and Kaku, Luffy figured it was wiser for him to skirt around Jyabura’s snoring form rather than risk getting caught in one of Kaku’s signature “don’t try to do too much” speeches.

And anyway, the Pirate King wanted to give them the space they needed to mourn the loss of Blueno. From nine to four in less than two decades was a steep price, no matter how they had fallen. Luffy didn’t want to find out what losing a Nakama like that was like; so he moved on.

Meeting eyes with Inazuma’s sunglasses, the Okama second in command nodded, “Thus far Chopper-san has been successful at stabilizing our wounded. Lord Dragon rests easily in the tent beyond, your brothers and Shanks-san are keeping watch. I am certain Sabo-san or Jinbe-san will find you the moment your father wakes.

“Admiral Coby is with his paramour aboard his flagship as both merely suffered a combination of Haki-burnout and minor contusions.” The non-binary pirate sipped their wine with a small smile. “It appears Admiral Helmeppo has a unique ability to project his Busoshoku Haki onto his partner.

“Of the others, Trafalgar-san is sleeping. His system was overtaxed by the forced activation of his powers. The baby is fine.”

Luffy grinned, “Wait ‘til Stacy finds out!”

He almost took off back the way he’d come to give Kid the good news, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“Luffy-san. About your first mate… Have you located your cook yet?”

Across the island from the Pirate King, Smoker found himself roped into dealing with the Amazons and the handling of Absalom and Sarkies. He drew his thumb and forefinger over his sinuses to pinch the bridge of his nose with a frustrated exhale of cigar smoke around his signature stogies.

“Hogback has been wanted by th’ Marines fer years fer creatin’ zombies.”

“The laws established under the old World Government no longer apply.” Boa Hancock, Empress of Amazon Lily and appointed Pirate Warden of Impel Down, refused to back down. “For the crimes the foul surgeon committed under the influence of Bluenose—“

“Blueno, Hebi-hime-sama.”

“Whatever!” She huffed at the Amazon who corrected her, and affected her signature pose, looking down on the admiral so far she was bent in half backwards, “The quack doctor is a Pirate and therefore under Luffy-sama’s dominion to punish! Now hand him over, Marine!”

“Posture all ya like, Hancock, Hogback has ta answer fer crimes against humanity. An’ that’s a Marine offense.” It didn’t seem possible, and yet apparently Smoker was just as stubborn as the Amazon empress.

They scowled at each other, both refusing to back down or reach any kind of compromise. Boa dismissed her shock at finding another man who was immune to her feminine wiles, and Smoker had to keep from thinking back to the last stubborn bratty brunet who’d stood up to him. He’d seen to it that the white-haired Marine saw more paperwork than any other in his division. It was hard on both parts.

Off to the side Sarkies looked nervously at Absalom, but the cat-man merely huffed. Of course, he really couldn’t be blamed, considering his position. As a ‘reward’ for having refused to cooperate with Sanji earlier, the Strawhat chef had ensured Absalom would never get the chance to run away from a fight ever again. He was seated on a wheeled chair, both legs in casts, and some kind of brace around his lower back. His zombie parts also had burns around the edges. So, Bellamy’s first mate couldn’t really judge the other’s surly attitude much.

He sighed, eyes scanning the rest of the situation, barely aware of the Marine and the Amazon still arguing over Hogback’s fate. One blessing he counted was that the insane doctor was unconscious after having been smacked with both Hancock’s Haki-reinforced heel, and Smoker’s heavy, seastone jute at the same time. Most of the Cards were being marched in a line onto the Kuja Pirates’ ship, all in heavy chains, and Sarkies shook his head at them. A good number had been zombies created by Hogback, but some, roughly fifty, had been actual people, lured in by Blueno’s silver-tongue, or manipulated, as Bellamy had been, into serving for a cause they actually didn’t understand.

For himself, Sarkies accepted his fate. He’d stood behind his captain until it became obvious that the whole plan was unhinged and there was no way they were going to win. At that point, he’d tried to cut his losses, only to end up right smack in the middle of things. He was still reeling from whatever it was that Coby had done to his head, making him unsteady on his feet. Regardless though, with his captain gone, the pale blue-haired man was willing to pay his dues for having cast his lot with the Jabberwocky.

Movement next to the arguing man and woman caught his attention as the Okama King and the glasses girl who always followed Smoker around stepped between them.

“Heehaw! Now listen, Hebi-girl, there’s something here you’re both forgetting.” Iva chastised with an out of place grin.

Smoker glared at Tashigi, who adjusted her glasses, “Taicho, Ivankov-sama is correct. In times of dispute of jurisdiction regarding the accused crimes, the imprisonment and sentence are to be handled by the neutral, unaffected, third party. In this case, the Parliament of the Revolution. Dr. Hogback, and his associates, for crimes committed while under the direction of one Blueno the Jabberwocky, are to be remanded to the Penitentiary on the Hill for the rest of their natural lives.

“Further,” the Vice-Admiral continued, “in the event of Absalom the Red Knight’s death, his Devil Fruit is to be detained upon recovery in the Vault of Forbidden Fruit below Impel Down.”

“Now wait just a minute! What’s my fruit got to do with anything!?” The cat-man finally was paying attention to what was going on.

Ivankov leaned into his face and grinned, “Because, perv-boy, you used it to spy on the Pirate Queen and fed lies to the Pirate King to trick him into thinking she had been unfaithful.”

“WHAT?! HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY KNOW ABOUT THAT!?”

Sarkies hung his head and groaned as the collected impromptu tribunal smiled with an air of satisfied smugness. Absalom looked around, fervently shaking his head, but it was too late. He’d hung himself with his outburst and everyone around them knew it.

Hancock tossed her head, and pointed. Two Amazons hauled the cat-man up by his arms out of his chair and carried him protesting and screaming to the ship. Her voice followed him, “Be happy, worm, that I am more gracious than Luffy-sama. Perhaps you’ll make the journey to Ryuunosu safely.”

With that the rest of them bundled up Sarkies and Hogback and the Amazons departed.

Tashigi looked between Iva and her Admiral, confusion wrinkling her brow over her glasses. “The argument was staged then? To get a confession?”

The Okama King only laughed and moved off to locate his wayward step-son without so much as another word. So the swordswoman turned to Smoker, but all she received was a grumble accompanied by a plume of his namesake, no other answer. Which made her huff and scowl.

There was a marked heaviness surrounding the Pirate King and his crew when Iva made it back to the medics. Brook was playing a soft background piece on his violin, mostly to keep his hands busy as they gathered around the tent where Zoro lay. The sharpshooter wasn’t around, but judging by the way Chopper kept pacing between Luffy and the tent’s opening, it seemed likely that Usopp had gone to try and find the missing two members of their crew. The same sort of nervous energy came out in Franky’s collaboration with Kidd, Robin, Killer, and Iceburg. All they could do was wait for the cook to show up, and it worried Iva that his favorite candy-boy wasn’t there.

Especially with how dim the swordsman’s aura was.

He laid a hand on Luffy’s shoulder in solidarity, but didn’t stick around. This was a private moment between crew and captain. If Zoro lost his life, they would need each other most, and if he didn’t, they would still prefer to be alone with their Nakama. So, the flamboyant Okama headed to his own partner’s tent. At the very least he could keep certain nosey brothers out of the way.

It didn’t seem to take long after Iva left for Usopp to return. He skidded down the beach near Franky and the mechanics, out of breath and pointing wildly behind him. He tried four times to wheeze out his message with increasingly frustrated noises when they mostly just sat there staring at him confused.

The halfway reassembled cyborg threw a wrench at him, “Sopp-bro, chillax a little. What’s up?”

Kidd caught the tool before it could land, but the sniper ducked anyway, which gave him the clarity of mind to focus. “Kaya! Nami! Chopper! Where’s Chopper?!”

“When last I saw him, he was attending to Zoro, Usopp.”

Robin was exhausted. That was the only explanation she could come up with for not understanding why the long-nosed man’s hands flew to his hair as he ran off for the rest of the Strawhats. She exchanged a look with her husband-to-be. There was a beat where they both blinked. Then at once, they gasped.

“Oh!”

“CHOPPER!!” Usopp finally had the coherency to call for the little reindeer.

Several other medics and patients glared at the panicked sniper, but he paid them no mind, snatching up the tiny doctor as soon as his eyes landed on the well-worn pink top hat.

“AHH!! USOPP!! PUT ME DOWN!!!” He screamed, hooves gripping said hat; he had hardly had a moment’s rest since returning from Skypeia.

The sharpshooter just held him tighter, already making his way back through the tents. “Nami! Kaya! Baby! Kaya’s pregnant!!”

“WHAT?!”

“BABY!!”

“WHAT BABY?!” Chopper was so confused he was nearly in tears.

Breezing past Luffy, the shouted conversation had his head snapping up. He’d known she was in labor, there was no way she could have hidden it from his Haki, but there was something infectious about Usopp’s panic. He took off after the other two with a whoop of excitement, which only served to earn him a disembodied hand pulling on his cheek.

“Captain. Where do you think you’re going?” Robin’s lips asked from his shoulder.

“Nami’s having Mini-Ace! I should be there!” He tripped over her hands trying to catch his ankles.

“Ignoring that you haven’t spoken with her for most of the year… Luffy… your place is with Zoro.”

“He’s fine. He’s sleeping.”

But even so Luffy stilled, climbing to his feet slowly. His mind drifted back to what Tashigi had told him before the marines set sail, and a shudder ran down his spine, a hand coming up to touch the X-shaped scar on his chest. Zoro was bigger than Ace had been. So Tashigi didn’t have any marks from him saving her life like that, but Luffy could still see it plain as day in the wound that burst through his first mate’s chest. Sun-shaped. Just as Ace’s had been.

Though it wasn’t as big in the front as it was in the back, and the worst of the damage was blood loss and muscles. Chopper had said he was extremely lucky that Bellamy had missed both his spine and his lungs. There had been a knick to an artery, but not the one that the doctor had been terrified of needing to repair. He’d said something about if that one had been cut they wouldn’t have been able to save him no matter what. Even as it was though...

Luffy shuffled his feet, his hat down. He knew Robin was right, of course, but he had hoped he could get Nami and bring her back and that would make Zoro wake up because if anyone could get Zoro to do something he didn’t want to do it was Nami. But that was farfetched logic, and everyone knew it.

So he stood there, just far enough away to be halfway between Robin and Zoro. After a short while Brook came up to him, laying a bony hand on his shoulder in solidarity, and tucked his violin up to his chin to play as he had been since they won. This time the music was soft, the type to pass the time without interfering with anyone’s thoughts, and though Kidd and Iceburg continued to work on assembling Franky’s pieces by the light of a torch, the cyborg himself leaned on his fiancé to watch the moon rise over the waves.

A cry went up just as the light silvered the surf. Proud and strong. And very, very angry at how cold the world was. It silenced the beach like a beacon, and a grin broke out across Luffy’s face. He jumped into the air and threw his hat. He didn’t notice the confusion or congratulations rumbling from around him as he made a beeline for his Nakama’s bedside.

“Zoro! Zoro, you gotta wake up! She did it! He’s here! My Ace! And he’s strong too! C’mon, you just gotta wake up!!!”

But the swordsman didn’t respond.


	28. Return Through the Looking Glass! The World Goes On!

The fall of night brought quiet to the island, like a blanket of midnight velvet holding the battle survivors safe and sound against the scars of violence cut into the very core of Jaya. By then the medical area had expanded to take up the entire beach, stretching from the Flying Pan at one end to the All Blue at the other, with the Thousand Sunny right smack dab in the middle. The Revolutionaries’ ships spread out between them acted as a wall from the sea beyond; Hina and Galdino had collaborated to form a breaker of wax and iron strung between the ships to keep the high tide from actually coming in that night. And out of respect for the wounded, the weary, and the dying, celebratory campfires were kept to a minimum.

Shanks had one, the newly awake Dragon and their crews surrounded it. The Neverlands set up one outside Law’s tent for whenever Kidd grew too tired to keep going. Not that he would admit that himself, mind, but that was why Killer was there. Two others sprang up further inland, one to the East and one to the West. But in the center, both the beach and the ruins of Mock Town, the night stayed dark; the small collection of Pirates wanted nothing to distract them from their intent listening.

It was just after midnight when they finally heard it.

Faint at first, but growing stronger as a small light made its way down what had once been a wide road. Over the clip-clop of reindeer hooves, and the shuffling steps of four exhausted humans, came the burbling and cooing of one who was seeing stars for the first time. Logically, he wasn’t really, babies didn’t have that kind of vision, but it seemed like it, with the way the infant babbled, far too alert for someone who’d just been born.

Sabo surged out to meet them on a flow of fire, lighting a few torches around the area on his way. When those had been set up, Luffy didn’t know, but he was thankful for them as he stood in the doorway to Zoro’s tent. He met eyes with Robin, and the archaeologist also crossed the distance to support their Nakama. Franky gave him a thumbs up with his only working hand, and Brook nodded from his seat on a chunk of broken concrete.

Since his admission at the summit before the war, none of the Strawhats held any doubts about Luffy’s position regarding his wife and son. He had acted horribly, believing a vicious rumor over his own Nakama, but he had also realized his mistake almost immediately, even if Nami didn’t know that yet.

As they approached, Usopp and Kaya moved off to a clear tent, their heads bent together, foreheads touching without even a breath of space between them. Chopper followed after, giving Luffy a huge grin of pride that only further proved Nami had been telling him the truth all those months ago. Finally, leaning on Sanji, with the baby bundled to her chest like a tribal goddess, his Queen, his life, his world stepped forward until she was positively glowing in the ring of firelight.

He started forward, then stopped when she flinched. His eyes followed her hand as it curled around her child, and met hers, unwavering under the hard, suspicious frown. She chanced a glance up at Sanji, but the cook merely looked away, his head turned so that his cigarette smoke would blow away from the baby. If he had any suspicions about his own lifepartner, he didn’t show them in his steady support of their navigator.

“Nami…” Luffy started only to be cut off by a hand held up with the palm facing him.

“I have been kidnapped, humiliated, imprisoned, and tormented on top of being pregnant and just literally hours ago gave birth. This conversation won’t be at all rational if we have it now, and so help me, if I’m not rational when we have it, I may let you have it.” She hissed.

“I don’t care.”

Her eyes lit up in rage, “WHAT?!”

The captain was quick to throw his hands up, noticing the others were watching them intently. “I-I-I mean about you being rational! You don’t have to be! It’s fine! I deserve it.”

“What?” Guarded curiosity paired up with her obvious exhaustion made the anger trickle away.

“I deserve it.” He repeated, taking another step forward. She flinched back again, so again, he stopped. This time he took his hat off. He looked down at the baby, then back up at her, and for the first time, probably in his entire life, Luffy apologized sincerely. “I’m sorry. I said those things, I was wrong. I don’t have an excuse, and I deserve whatever punishment you think I should get. Even if that means…” Again his eyes dropped to the baby, “It’s up to you. I’m sorry.”

He focused on her feet because he suddenly found himself unable to meet her gaze, but he could feel the others leaning in, almost silently pressuring Nami to forgive him, but at the same time, not wanting to influence her decision. His Haki picked up on most of their thoughts, carefully guarded in some places, but on the whole they felt he at least deserved to know his son.

Then she spoke, soft and intense. “You stupid idiot.”

Sanji whipped his head around to her as she pushed away from him, “Nami-swan?”

“You stupid, arrogant, self-centered, naïve, idiot.”

Each word was a shaking step towards him, a storm building on her face, and Luffy found himself grateful that she didn’t have her Clima-tact with her. Lightning might not have serious affects on him, but it still wasn’t all that comfortable!

She stopped inches away from him, shoulders quivering, her free hand in a fist at her side, and he couldn’t help it, he flinched. “I’m not gonna hit you, stupid.”

“You sure?” His eyes darted between her fist and her face.

“Not right now.”

He relaxed a little; even dared something of a smile.

“Things aren’t okay here.” There went the smile. “You have a lot of making up to do for not believing me. I expect to be paid. With interest! For all of the shit I’ve had to put up with while you had your head up your ass, Mister.” That sounded somewhat hopeful at least. “That means you need to learn quickly how to change a dirty diaper because so help me, Ace won’t grow up without his father, but I’m not putting up with any more shit.”

She held up the stern expression until her words clicked in his head, then she mirrored his grin, tears in her eyes.

“You named him Ace!” Luffy was ecstatic.

“Of course, you idiot!”

Then he took her in his arms and spun her laughing until little Ace complained. Setting her back down he leaned over her shoulder, supporting her with both arms wrapped around her waist such that he could still stretch a hand up to brush the downy black fuzz atop the infant’s head.

“Hey, Ace, I’m your Tousan, and we’re gonna have such great adventures together.”

It was just as Nami was about to reprimand him for making plans already that Chopper emerged from Zoro’s tent. When he’d gone in, nobody knew, but the look on his face had them all frozen. A chill passed through them, and the cook and the navigator looked from person to person for answers.

“Luffy…” Nami prompted.

Chopper cut him off though, sniffling, “San-nji… he’s… you should…”

And that was the moment when it clicked in the cook’s head.

He dashed off through the ring of Strawhats into the tent behind Luffy, his heart in his throat and barely daring to breathe. The second he was gone the others rounded on the reindeer, but within the canvas shelter, the head chef of the All Blue Baratie stood transfixed, staring at his lover in disbelief.

“Shit for brains, mossheaded, reckless, son of a…” He murmured, stumbling to the swordsman’s bedside. “Couldn’t just stay out of the way and behave, could you? You had to go playing hero. Don’t tell me you didn’t, I just know. It was about that Marine girl wasn’t it? The one you’re always going on about. You fool.” He didn’t notice he was starting to tear up, “You utter, selfless, idiotic, fool. It’s too soon, bastard. We aren’t done yet. The shitty eggplant barely has his feet on the ground, and the Sea knows Luffy’s gonna need help raising that boy, and fuck… Zoro, no…”

His knees hit the ground, digging into the sand through the canvas floor, and his hands found the closest of the swordsman’s. His forehead fell to the rail of the cot, and his shoulders shook in silent sobs.

He could feel the heavy weight of the Marimo’s hand on his head, thick, callused fingers combing through his hair, and the rumble of voice that it would be okay vibrated his ears, but no. Not when his beloved’s lips were grey-blue in the low light, and the bandages didn’t even cover his chest completely. The flicker of aura against his Haki was so soft it felt like a moth’s wing.

It wasn’t fair. Some malcontent smallfry couldn’t take out the Greatest Swordsman in the World! He just couldn’t! It was an insult to the title. What would Mihawk have said?!

“NO GODDAMNIT!” Sanji screamed, punching the bed.

His wrath and sorrow was such that he didn’t feel or see the shockwave of pale blue that radiated from him.

“SHIT BASTARD! NO!”

Again he yelled, again the pulse ran through the room.

He climbed to his feet, fury making his body shake, and he shouted at the figure on the bed, “WAKE UP ASSWIPE MARIMO! WAKE UP SO I CAN KICK YOUR ASS!!”

That time he noticed.

Because the hand he’d been holding twitched. He held his breath, watching it, and repeating the command silently. The fingers curled, and after too many heartbeats, a sound like the rising of a great bear from hibernation rumbled from the swordsman’s mouth. His chest rose and fell more deeply, and the flicker of lifeforce hammered harder against the pulse of Sanji’s own.

When the eyes under those heavy lids shifted, the cook felt his knees go weak. He sank onto the edge of the cot, taking Zoro’s hand again. “C’mon, bastard. Don’t tell me you got lost in your own head. I’ll really have to kick your ass.” Then his voice dropped to barely more than an urgent whisper, “Damnit, Zoro, come home.”

“C’ld g’t used ta hearin’ y’say m’n’me, c’k.” Slurred and groggy, the swordsman didn’t open his eyes, but he worked his mouth like he’d forgotten how to use it. “Dr’nk?”

Sanji searched the tent, but nearly came up empty except for a small wineskin that looked like it had been dropped by someone much earlier. It had something in it, but it certainly wasn’t water. Not by the way it burned the cook’s nose hairs.

“All I have, but I dunno if you want it, shit bastard.” He lifted the rim to Zoro’s lips.

“S’gud’nuff.”

Whatever the alcohol happened to be, it didn’t affect the Marimo’s ability to swallow, at which Sanji privately marveled, but it did lend him some strength it seemed. As the second he finished it off, both arms came up sluggishly to pull his lover down next to him on the cot.

“Know yer ‘xhausted. Sleep, S’nji. M’not dyin’. Not t’day. Gotta b’there fer th’brat wh’n’e g’ts ‘ld’r.” Then he was snoring, his cook’s head pillowed on his chest so that the blond could hear his heart beat like the anxious sap he was without worry.

And surprisingly, Sanji went along with it.

~*~

"You know, you didn't have to do this."

“An’ make ya come through all this shit on yer own? HA! Not on yer life!” The redhead crossed his arms over his chest, scowling out at the sea.

His lifepartner leaned into his arm as well as he could manage, “And I’m certain seeing our godson has nothing to do with it, ne?”

Kidd grumbled and turned to pull Law into his chest, his natural hand drifting down to palm the swell of their child unconsciously. His scowl never changed. “Mebbe it does. Mebbe it don’t. It’s th’ kid’s birthday. We should be there.”

“Papa! Chichi! I can see it!!” Their daughter cried out from the prow of the ship before darting back towards the co-captains.

Five years old, and already as precocious as her parents, the tiny redhead nearly slid into Bepo as the navigator was coming down from his cabin. The bear hopped on one leg into Wire, and Shachi only got out of the way because Heat pushed him after Penguin squeaked. Killer, at the wheel, shook his head, a low chuckle hidden beneath mask and the sounds of the ship itself.

“Gwendolyn, be more careful please.” Law chuckled at their firstborn’s antics, but moreso at the way his lover tensed behind him.

The dark-skinned little girl grinned in a way that was far too similar to her sire, and clasped her hands behind her back, “Sorry, Papa.”

At that moment, Jade, a young panda from Bepo’s home island, slid down the mast from the crow’s nest. He was brought on as a cub for two reasons. One, he’d been orphaned in a raid by Bellamy’s Cards before the Wonderland War, and two, he was close enough in age to Gwen to serve as both friend and babysitter. Much as Bepo had done for Law after Vergo’s betrayal at Rubeck Island.

However, the panda shared something else with his foster father.

He let go of the mast a second too soon, crashed to the deck, only to bounce back to his feet and scuttle over to where Law and Kidd stood atop the aftdeck. Then he bowed and mumbled something neither could hear.

Gwen elbowed him, “Speak up, stupid.”

“Gwendolyn!” Law chastised.

But Kidd laughed loudly at her brash motions… which earned him an elbow in the solar plexus, and he grinned, wheezing laughter still hissing through his teeth even as he rubbed his gut. Like father, like daughter.

Jade yelped, however, bowing again. “Sorry! Land ho, Captains.”

“I said that.” Gwen crossed her arms over her chest and sniffed.

“Nuh-uh.” Jade challenged. “You said you saw it. That’s not right. The proper call is—”

She cut him off with a growl, “Yeah, and yer s’posed to do it from the crow’s nest. Not come runnin’ all the way down here to whisper it.”

“I can’t yell from up there!!” The panda whimpered.

“I can! Bet I can do it better too!!” Not giving him a chance to answer, Gwen took off for the ladder to the rigging with all the balance and coordination of a child born on the high seas.

Behind Law, Kidd whimpered, tense and watching both children like a hawk. They knew what they were doing but it didn’t stop the big redhead from worrying about falls and such. And the knowledge that Law’s Room responded unconsciously to his daughter being in danger was little help for the master of magnets. He still ignored everything else when it came to situations he could see as potentially dangerous for his daughter and the panda cub.

Not that he let on when he could help it.

Still, it made his lifemate chuckle and squeeze his arm reassuringly. Unlike his previous pregnancy, without the trauma of the Kuja woman’s death and the stress of impending battle, Law’s Room was entirely under control this time. Oh it still responded to threats against his person, but it no longer registered his boisterous crewmates, allies, and Nakama as threats. For which the surgeon was quite grateful.

Just as the children’s voices started to actually reach them down on deck, the blossom of the Mecha Lotus appeared off the port bow, followed quickly by the rise of Raftel to the front, and the sea breeze carried the scent of Sanji’s famous All-Blue Chowder. They made port quickly, hungry with the thought of the Strawhat chef’s cooking. Not that Shachi and Wire blamed them, even they were happily salivating at the thought of someone else’s food after being at sea for so long.

Music drifted down the hill from the Pirate King’s house, where most of the town had gathered to celebrate the prince’s birthday. Pipes, drums, flutes, and a signature violin carried the tune through the warm, sunny air. Laughter announced that President Dragon and Shanks were there beyond the garden wall, and from the streamers and party decorations adorning the whole village it was obvious that Iva had lent his hand in the designs. A certain flower motif repeated through the whole thing. From the bazaar set up in the town square all the way up the winding drive that opened out on Luffy’s home.

Kidd balanced Gwen and Jade on his shoulders behind Law, and followed by Killer, who was leading the others in hauling a massive metal something up the road from the harbor. Heat and Wire fended off the pack of town children that clamored at either side to get a peek at the prince’s present.

As they rounded the gate, Sanji emerged from the house proper, plates balanced on his arm and a bowl of something brightly colored on his head.

“SANJIISAN!! SANJIISAN!!” The birthday boy spun around his legs, long dark hair flailing out behind him in a tail that caught the sunlight. “I WANNA SEE!!!”

Seated at the table where the foodstuffs were being defended from the boy’s father, the chef’s husband laughed almost as heartily as Dragon, “Patience, Ace. Let him put it down.”

“BUT ZORJII!!!” The freckled boy whined and pounced his uncle with all the exuberance expected of Luffy’s son.

“But nothin’, if yer dad has to wait. So do you.” Zoro flicked his nose gently.

Almost on cue, the shout came from the other side of the garden, “SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANJIIIIIIIIIIIII FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!”

And was chorused by every person under the age of ten in a single voice!

“HOLD YOUR SHITTY HORSES YOU FILTHY ANIMALS!!” The chef returned, shaking his leg to try and dislodge one of Robin’s foundlings.

Gwen leapt from her father’s shoulder in a swan dive that had Law wincing even as Kidd’s breath caught in his throat. Hands blossomed from the ground to ensure a safe landing, and Franky, from his position against the wall of the house, saluted the new arrivals with his cola.

A small girl, about four, came up to Law then, hugging him around the hip, and blinked big, cerulean eyes up at him, “When’s the new baby coming?”

“Soon, Olivia. We must have patience.” He smiled, petting her hair, and let her guide him to a chair between Kaya and Nami.

Chaos reigned then as Luffy returned, dirt-smudged, and laughing as the pack of children tackled him. His hat was missing, but that was probably a good thing considering the level of violence involved in their play. He rolled and bounced off the ground, only to be smacked in the face with a balloon full of paint. Jade took advantage of the distraction to pounce the Pirate King, covering the sniper and his son as they retreated from the top of the garden wall.

“Who wants to play Hide and Seek!” The voice of the Marine Fleet Admiral broke through the din, and the mob disappeared over the hill, led by Gwen, who had Olivia in hand.

The rest of the Strawhats, the Neverlands, Dragon’s contingent from Ryuunosu, and a collection of other extended Nakama relaxed in the sound of happiness ringing from all corners of the island. Six years ago today, they fought and defended the world against an evil that nearly destroyed it. The Pirate Queen, as regal as her predecessor, had ensured that the tragedy of that day would forever be overshadowed, and as she sipped her mikan-flavored drink, she smiled.

How it had come to this? She inhaled deeply, from her diaphragm to her shoulders, her hair pulled up in a messy bun and the sun warming her face. Around her the chatter of her various Nakama and family touched a dream she hadn’t dared to hope for since she was a small child. And it was all because of him. He’d flung himself into her life like a cannonball, and even now, his promise echoed in her mind, pounding with the beat of her heart.

“Luffy! Let the children have some! Honestly, all you ever think about is yourself!”


End file.
